Wanna Play A Game?
by Blue-Flame-Snake
Summary: Twilight and her friends are planning to tryout for basketball, but what they don't know is that their in for a big surprise. The challenges they face may seem harder and rougher than what they expected. Join Twilight and the mane 6 as they practice for their upcoming game, through hardships of stubborness and more. -Cover Page created by me-
1. Chapter 1

**Ok so this story is all about The mane My little Pony characters on a basketball team. Yes they play real games and practice. I just thought this idea would be creative. So anyways please enjoy! :D**

* * *

RainbowDash paced around the gym, where she and her bestest friends such as Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and PinkiePie who were all trying out for the basketball team. Some other random ponies were there too, but that didn't matter at the moment.

_What if we don't make the team?... Oh what if somepony here is better than me?... WHAT IF-!?_

Rainbowdash's thoughts were interrupted by her friend Rarity. "Oh I hope we don't have to get all hot and sweaty like those other ponies we usually see on television" Rarity pointed awkwardly out.

Rainbow only grinned. "Relax... you'll be so hot like me, everyone will be staring at you throughout the whole game!... Unless of course you don't act like me" Rainbow boasted, her favorite sweatband already on her head.

Rarity just stared at her, unsure whether she meant Hot and sweaty or the other hot as in 'knock em dead' hot.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I cannot wait!" PinkiePie added with an excited squeal.

"Yeah? Me neither" Rainbow nodded.

"Well I for one think that this'll be fun and that we'll get to bond more closely to each other!" Twilight encouraged making everyone just simply nod.

"W-Well I hope t-that they'll a-accept me... B-Because I know I might be a little... you know..." Fluttershy trailed off on where she was going with her figure of speech.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's all or none" Rainbow remarked, puffing her chest out.

Applejack just rolled her eyes. "Ok miss-All-Herself, let's see what time you get when the coach comes on in and tests you" Applejack challenged Rainbow who only accepted the challenge in her usual words, 'Ten seconds flat'.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Somepony down the line of ponies awaiting for the session to begin whispered. "He's coming!"

Rarity instantly took action. "Oh my! He's coming! He's coming! What do we do!?... Does my mane look nice?" Rarity whined, nudging RainbowDash and Twilight for their opinions.

"Looks great" Rainbow muttered.

"Oh yes" Twilight simply agreed.

"Well!... At least some ponies here have some taste I mean what kind of gym is this? Anyone could see it needs more spoof, or design I mean whoever designed this place needs to either get a job or-" Rarity began running her mouth when suddenly the doors on the far side of the gym opened up, revealing the coach...

"GOOD afternoon ladies and gentleponies my name is Coach FastBall" spoke a big deep-voiced brown stallion, with muscles tensed and sweat already running from his brow.

Fluttershy almost fainted at this sight, so Applejack and Twilight had to help her stay to her hooves.

The coach wore a workout jacket, a whistle from around his neck, and long gym socks. His cutie mark was of a basketball bouncing into a hoop, and he had a thick black wavy mane, showing that he must workout therefore his hair looked already windblown.

Rainbow smiled and tilted to lean into Twilight's ear to compliment about something of the coach when suddenly the Coach himself blew his whistle.

"YOU THERE! WHAT'S YOUR NAME AND WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO SAY TO THAT LAVENDER PONY THERE!" The coach called Rainbowdash out instantly like a hawk.

Rainbow quickly froze and went back to her position. "I... WHAT?... O-Oh... fine.. I-I'm RainbowDash?... And I... err... was gonna say that you... have a nice hairstyle?" Rainbow made it up, seeming she had even forgot what she REALLY WAS going to say to Twilight in the first place.

"WHATEVER" The Coach blew her off and began assigning the rules.

"D-Did you see that? He totally just... shrugged me off like I was nothing!" Rainbow then pointed out to her friends.

"Rainbow, that's because you are nothing to him" Applejack answered her.

"Applejack actually has a point RainbowDash... the coach hasn't even met you yet... so.. honestly-" Twilight began like the egghead she was. "Oh I know... But I don't have to like it" Rainbow muttered.

"OK SO FIRST YOU WILL TAKE THE BALL... AND DRIBBLE IT AROUND THESE FIVE CONES WITH YOUR RIGHT HOOF... ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BASKET. NEXT YOU WILL DO A LAYUP AND THEN COME BACK AROUND THE CONES, DRIBBLING THIS TIME WITH YOUR LEFT HOOF. GOT IT? SIMPLE AND EASY... FIRST PONY GET GOING!" FastBall instructed before demanding the starting pony off.

Twilight and her friends just waited for their turn... very patiently.

After like... TEN minutes of waiting the Coach finally called on Twilight to step up and give it a go.

Twilight gulped. "M-Me sir?" she confirmed.

"YES YOU! WHAT DO YOU THINK I MEANT THE RAINBOW COLORED PEGASUS BESIDE YOU!? NO!" Coach FastBall yelled, making Twilight hurry to the starting position.

She readied herself and when the coach blew the whistle, she took off, dribbling the ball with her right hoof.

"Whoa.." she muttered under her breath as she almost lost the ball. Being very honest here, Twilight wasn't the BEST at Basketball, in fact once she got down to the hoop on the other side of the large gym, she tried to do a layup but... failed, and lifted the wrong leg. She then hurried back the best she could, her hooves now aching from the run.

"OK... I GUESS YOU COULD SAY YOU WEREN'T LIKE THIS FILLY OVER HERE BUT YOU WERE TERRIBLE" Coach Fastball pointed to a young mare who had apparently already failed the test.

Twilight gulped with surprise before she took her place back at the end of the line.

Next it was RainbowDash's turn.

FastBall looked Rainbow up and down menacingly. "YOU READY?" He asked challengingly, making Rainbow only hold her head high. "Ready as I'll ever be" she answered. FastBall just rolled his eyes though.

"READY SET GO" FastBall blew his whistle and instantly Rainbow took off. She was quite wobbly at first but she quickly straightened out, making it look like she was hardly breaking a sweat.

She quickly got down to the other side, did a layup, and zipped back up to the starting line, feeling quite proud of herself.

"I bet I was the best wasn't I coach?" Rainbow taunted as she neared FastBall again, easily dribbling the ball all at once.

"YEAH?... SO FAR. WHO'S NEXT?" The Coach shooed Rainbow off to the end of the line, making her sulk and cross her hooves angrily.

Rarity was up next now, who apparently wasn't about to get her hooves dirty all in one test.

"HERE I WANT YOU TO GO DOWN AND-" FastBall began but Rarity cut him off. "How dare you give me this filthy ball! I for one have brought my own ball, and I will do it, not when told, but when I feel like it..." Rarity, being the drama queen she was went on. "And another thing, if you think I'm going to break my back by just trying impress you then think again...!" Rarity huffed before taking off with her own pink, glimmering ball. She slowly went at her own pace, making it look like she couldn't go any slower possibly.

The coach only facepalmed himself before muttering something under his breath, but nopony could catch what it was.

Rarity did a pitiful layup, nothing like what RainbowDash had even done, and simply just trotted back at a slightly faster pace, still, kinda... well... I guess you could say she was dribbling the ball?

"How was I? Spectacular? GRAND darling!" Rarity answered for herself and just prissily strutted to the back of the line with Twilight and RainbowDash...

* * *

**Going great so far? Have anything to comment or rate? Please leave a review then! I'd love some info on my work, explaining my ups and downs. THANKS SO MUCH ^^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Next up was Applejack.

The orange country pony strutted up to FastBall like he was nobody important at all.

"Now partner, don't tell me if I'm working hard or not, cause you don't even know what it feels like to actually work. I work all day in the bustin' heat that this ain't gonna be nothin'" Applejack simply and as politely as she could, remarked to FastBall, who wasn't as impressed as anypony thought he would be.

"HEY DO ME A FAVOR AND SHUT UP. JUST GET READY" Coach FastBall wasn't playing any games today. His forest green eyes were even starting to burn with so much annoyance and agitation, that half of the time he looked angrier than he did excited for these ponies... well maybe he hasn't even been the slightest of excited at all to begin with...

Applejack nodded, seeing his irritation and set off down the gym. She slowed down a bit though when she came to the cones, dribbling right to left with just her right hoof, wasn't the easiest thing in the world. Besides, she wasn't much of an athlete either, though she normally was use to the sweat.

She then got down to the hoop, where she aimed for the backboard and easily did a layup. She then hurried back as best as she could.

"There ya are Coach" Applejack handed the ball back to FastBall.

"UH YEAH... OK WHO'S NEXT" FireBall then asked as Applejack joined the other three at the back of the line.

Fluttershy didn't answer FastBall but only stepped up. "YOU? OK LITTLE FIELD MOUSE, I WANT YOU TO DO THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE. READY GO!" FastBall sneered, making Fluttershy flinch at almost his every word before she hurried off.

This made Rainbow furious though...

"H-Hey! He can't talk to Fluttershy like that!" Rainbow pointed out to Twilight and Applejack. "Darn right about that, Dash" Applejack nodded angrily, seeing Fluttershy just as slowly as ever hurry down the track.

"Well for one thing, I think that coach should get a mare's touch of fixing up... I mean look at the way he walks, talks, and... well... YEAH!" Rarity huffed, naming every little thing she could for that mean coach.

"Now now everypony... I'm sure FastBall is just trying to be the best coach he can be is all... He's just trying to-" Twilight was just saying this when Fluttershy accidently dropped the ball, making it roll to the side of the gym.

FastBall stomped in fury from where he stood and then blew his whistle very loudly at Fluttershy.

"WHAT THE HAY ARE YOU DOING!? YOU GET YOUR PRETTY LITTLE SELF BACK ON TRACK AND PUSH YOURSELF TO THE LIMIT!" FastBall demanded.

Fluttershy turned away, not wanting to face FastBall. "Y-Y-Yes... S-Sir" She softly responded, rushing off to get the ball. Any pony without eyes could see that Fluttershy was already crying from this 'FastBall'.

"Alright that's it! FastBall is taking this way too far!" Rainbow urged angrily.

Twilight had to take a few deep breaths herself to calm down too. "Well... I... I... I guess your right! he's doing nothing but tearing every ponies dreams up out there!" Twilight insisted.

Rainbow only scoffed to the matter. "Wait, dreams? Whoa no no no! My dream is to become a wonderbolt, not this sorry fella's servant! This stinks!" RainbowDash objected in every way possible.

Twilight only flinched slightly at this.

"RainbowDash gosh, you don't have to talk that loudly... he might hear you" Twilight muttered to her arrogant friend, who just seemed to ignore the consequences of getting heard by.

"I simply do not mind at what Dash here has to say. This FastBall has gone way TOO fast for his speed, and he simply must not go on with it... He's gone over the speed limit! broken the law! He has hurt Fluttershy's feelings!" Rarity roared, putting her hoof down to agree with RainbowDash.

Now, Fluttershy finally managed to do some kind of layup... more like lose the ball again kinda of style but then finally came back with a sorrowful look in her eyes.

"CALL THAT PLAYIN'?" FastBall sneered, making Fluttershy only lower her head in an unpromised shame.

Fluttershy then hurried back to the end of the line where her friends all waited to comfort her.

Next... well... it was PinkiePie's turn. The giddy little party pony happily bounced up to FastBall and just swiped the ball out of his hooves. "NOW NO GAMES HERE-" FastBall began but Pinkie just cut him off with an exploited laugh. "Games!? I love games!" Pinkie remarked, getting a growl from the coach before he just blew the whistle.

Now... PinkiePie wasn't a bad player either... she was actually really fast. The pink party pony zipped down to the other end of the court, did a layup with much more spunk and silliness before she just zipped back, a large smile on her face as usual.

"UH... OK?" FastBall rolled his eyes as Pinkie then bounced to the end of the line.

By now though, finally, the test was over.

"OK! I GUESS I CAN ALREADY SEE WHO ARE PLAYERS AND WHO AREN'T!" FastBall's angry voice next sounded, making every pony nervous.

Rainbow only grinned, looking at her friends. "Watch him choose me" She bragged, making Rarity roll her eyes. "Oh hush up dearie, I was the précised one" Rarity pointed out though, getting a glare from Rainbow only afterwards.

"COME LINE UP ONCE I CALL OUT YOUR SORRY NAMES!" FastBall demanded as he then went over what he had just saw. He then cleared his throat, making everyone tense up.

"FIRST OFF... RainbowDash, step up" Fastball demanded.

This made Rainbow flip out, literally. "AWW YEEEAAAAH!" She crossed her hooves with a small look down the long row of ponies who had just been passed down. "Told ya so" Rainbow then flew to where the coach was awaiting, his eyes burning from the option on having to choose certain ponies, in which his case almost all of them were terrible...

Rainbow puffed out her chest anyways, taking all the glory she needed...

"Next is Applejack" FastBall then shrugged, not even caring anymore.

"YEEHAW!" Was Applejack's only reaction, which made the other ponies all sigh.

Applejack proudly came to stand beside Rainbow, her hat tilted slightly and her grin stretching. "Hey miss know-it-all" AJ scoffed, making Dash give her a small look.

Twilight and the others on the other hoof, weren't feeling very lucky at the moment at being picked...

"Next is... Lightning Dust!" FastBall then called out, making Rainbow leap to her senses. "W-Wait WHAT!?" Dash quickly jerked her head around to see her old time friend trot up to stand beside AJ, a prissy, snobby look just patched onto her greenish ugly face.

She flipped her hair, not evening noticing Rainbow though until the last second. "Oh hey Dash... What's up" Was Lighting Dust's only reaction, her eyes not even bothering to look at Rainbow.

Rainbow twitched at this, causing Applejack to just give her a look. "Uh, What's wrong?" AJ asked, her face screwing up with bewilderment at Rainbow's attitude change.

"D-Do you know who that pony is!?... T-T-That's... Lightning Dust" Rainbow whispered, not trying to lose her cool but it just wasn't keeping kept.

"Yeah so?" Applejack narrowed her eyes dully, simply bored of this franticness.

"S-She's my old teammember from the Wonderbolts try outs!" Rainbow then explained roughly, sending a glare at AJ.

Applejack just sighed. "Does it matter?" she flashed back with a snort.

Dash quickly knew where this was going. She quickly just straightened up. "Uh... N-No?... W-Why do you see someone acting all hyper?... Uh No?" Rainbow felt like she was getting out of hand now but she couldn't help it. That brat of a Lightning Dust was trying out! And Rainbow couldn't even breathe with the thought of maybe getting Lighting on her same team!

"Next is Minuette!" FastBall's voice then shook Rainbow to her senses again.

Applejack just chuckled. "What are you scared of Minuette as well?" She scoffed, making Dash quickly object. "W-What no?! Why would I be scared of that flimsy pony?" RainbowDash defended herself with a glance at the bluish pony that was now trotting up to stand beside Lightning Dust.

Rainbow only gulped.

"And then... BeautyBrass!" FastBall then added, making Rainbow even more terrified now. BEAUTYBRASS!?

This was all happening so fast!... THOSE TWO were nothing but trouble!

Dash couldn't help but remember one specific chaotic night when Pinkie had thrown a party for Fluttershy and her shyness affair. Rainbow had completely ruined the night once she had ran into these two snobs, Lightning Dust and BeautyBrass though for making fun of Fluttershy. Rainbow and Lightning had went at it, proving who was the best flyer, and who was stronger and much more... well... you get the hint.

Rainbowdash now felt like even hiding behind Applejack, seeming she didn't wanna bring back the memory from that night...

"Next is CherryBerry!" FastBall then announced, making AJ slightly flinch next. This made Rainbow wanna get back at Applejack so she quickly asked, "W-What? You scared or something?" Dash asked teasingly, while she tried to hide her fears. This made AJ just send her a dare of daggers.

"NO! I'm worried if our here friends won't get picked!" Applejack only whispered back as this new girl, CherryBerry stepped up.

Rainbow thought for a moment then nodded. She needed more than ever to focus on her friends at the moment... not her old enemies.

What if her friends don't get picked at all!?...

* * *

**Please leave a review if your enjoying. It means so much to me. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

RainbowDash and Applejack held their breath now, as six more ponies were just randomly called up... luckily though finally a familiar name had sprouted out of the coach's mouth.

"PINKIE PIE" FastBall announced, making a loud squeal sound out throughout the gym afterwards. "OH MY GOSH! I've been picked you guys!" Pinkie yelped happily, making Twilight and Rarity just feel miserable. Fluttershy just didn't care... In fact some ponies thought that she didn't even wanna be picked.

"Yeah that's great Pinkie" Twilight muttered, her ears drooping.

Rarity on the other hoof thought began her usual dramatic fits. She scoffed. "Why in the name of dear Celestia would FastBall choose someone like PinkiePie over me? I mean come on! I had the style, the fashion... and the... the-" Rarity began spluttering for words but Fluttershy only answered her in a guessing tone. "The speed?" Fluttershy added, making Rarity just ignore her with dignity.

"Oh I had every hoof step ever so perfect, that it could almost turn out to be a beautiful dance-off show or something!" Rarity went on, running her loud prissy mouth when her name was next suddenly called... along with Twilight!

"Oh yay! That's us!" Twilight then squealed, lifting her sulking head with glee now. "Oh it's about time!" Rarity huffed, fluffing her long mane out as she and Twilight trotted forward... leaving one sad and fearful pony left out of the group...

Rainbow quickly felt like there was more hope now... All they needed was Fluttershy now!... But would the cream colored Pegasus make it?... But that's when FastBall STOPPED calling out names.

"AND... I GUESS THAT IS ALL FOLKS!" FastBall shrugged, getting a few moans from the crowd of ponies.

At this point, RainbowDash and Applejack BOTH had, had enough with this nonsense! FastBall was being nothing but a bully now...

"OH NO! Hold on there partner!" Applejack snapped, her green eyes just blazing wildly.

Rainbow also shot up into the air, her wings flapping furiously. "Uh I think you missed a pony!" Rainbow challenged, making FastBall the least bit surprised.

"WHAAAAAT? YOU WERE EXPECTING YOUR FRIEND TO MAKE IT? OH BOO HOO" FastBall used a very chaotic and dramatic tone. He then turned his brown head away, in attempt at just walking away but Rainbow zipped in front of him.

"Whoa mister! If you think you can just walk away and keep us, and not our friend? THINK AGAIN!" Dash spat, looking quite bold.

Applejack nodded. "Yeah! We ain't goin' nowhere without Fluttershy!" she agreed, getting a few shocked murmurs from the crowd.

Rainbow even had to flinch slightly at a small chuckle that came from the watching Lightning Dust.

FastBall stopped for a second, pondering on what he should do.

He then turned to face the enraged Dash and AJ, his facial expressions giving nothing away. "...F-Fine Flutter-fail can come too" FastBall snorted.

Twilight and Rarity now looked aghast and taken aback by this namecalling.

FastBall froze for once now, seeing his mistake. He then sighed and turned away, at least accepting Fluttershy now... And after a few long seconds of just watching FastBall leave Rainbow then smiled greatfully at her friend AJ for ONCE.

AJ looked up at her hovering friend and did the same when suddenly there came a small sneer from behind them though. "Ahem... Wow... Such a lame loser like I always knew you were Dash. Helping your friend I see eh? JUST like you did at the party"

Rainbow turned to see Lightning Dust, her eyes glimmering with spite. Even her little friend BeautyBrass had now joined in with a small chuckle of remembrance. "Oh yes that's right it's you, from the party at that night!" BeautyBrass laughed as everything began to unfold now.

Rainbow turned red slightly at this, and felt a little downtrodden, but she then faced Lightning boldly. "Mmmhmm... is that the best you got? That's nothing compared to you two wimps. Sure I might have some ups and downs but you two are nothing but downright failures!" Rainbow shot back with a flick of her tail, also trying the best she could to not show how humiliated she now was... Then Applejack even gave a small 'oooh' to the harsh comeback though, seeing that it gave Lightning and Beautybrass both small shocked faces.

But of course being the jerks they were, BeautyBrass and Lightning Dust both held their heads high still.

"Yeah? Well we'll just see about that once practice comes up" BeautyBrass joked.

"Yeah especially when we start the games" Lightning agreed with her friend next before the two trotted off, gleefully happy of being picked on the team...

Rainbow next landed with a small thump next to Applejack who seemed to quickly notice her friend's sudden anger and yet sadness all at once.

"...L-Look sugarcube, don't go getting all sad over nothing. Those two won't be able to beat the two of us, right?" Applejack asked, hopefully getting Rainbow's challenging side back on.

Rainbow only nodded downly though. "...Yeah. I guess so"

Dash still couldn't get rid of the fact that she might have to actually face LightningDust and Beautybrass in an actual game!... Sure she wasn't scared of them but it just made her feel humiliated every time to see them snicker at her.

Next There was a small moment of silence when suddenly the sound of hoofsteps sounded from just behind RainbowDash and Applejack.

"Wow girls. That was very brave of you to say those things and speak up for Fluttershy... And who cares for what those other two ponies think?" the voice noneother came from Twilight. She and the others had seen everything, along with the other trying-out ponies in the gym.

FastBall had just simply vanished behind some doors now...

Rainbow perkened a bit. "Ya think so?" she asked feeling her pride rebuild now.

"I know so" Twilight answered simply.

"Why yes darling. If you two hadn't defended poor Fluttershy over here, she wouldn't have ever even made it on the team... which I think is quite ridiculous because this coach of ours is already getting on my nerves" Rarity agreed, yet in her long dramatic way as usual.

Applejack just sighed happily.

"Aww it was nothin'. We just did what any friend should have done for someone as special as Fluttershy" Applejack remarked thoroughly.

Rainbow nodded in agreement, though her thoughts were still slightly mingled on Lightning Dust and BeautyBrass... those two jerks always made fun of her whenever she stuck up for Fluttershy...

But... if it was for Fluttershy, then Dash would just take it.

At that moment of being lost in thought, Fluttershy suddenly spoke through Rainbow's head. "Y-Yeah.. I-I feel like I shouldn't be on the t-team but oh well.. T-Thanks Applejack and RainbowDash. You both are very great friends" Fluttershy smiled though from her unconvinced bidding on being on the team.

Rainbow shrugged. "Hey It was nothing!"

"Darn right. Your too special to lose Fluttershy. And I'm sure FastBall will soon see that in you" Applejack remarked, making Fluttershy brighten even more now.

"Y-You really think so?" She asked quietly yet again.

RainbowDash and Applejack both nodded.

But then Twilight stepped up. "Ok girls, enough with this situation. How about we grab a bite to eat?" Twilight then suggested making PinkiePie bounce gleefully up to the conversation.

"Oh could we eat at LongHoof!? I LOOOOOVE that place!" Pinkie suggested getting a few chuckles from everypony else.

"Well I don't see why not, seeming I am getting a little hungry from this... this.. Basketball or whatever you wanna call it" Rarity then agreed yet again in her dramatic way though.

* * *

**Please leave a review. This was really tricky for me on this chapter. I had to keep changing the details and changing some lines and such. So please take the time out of your day and maybe leave a review. I'd be very pleased ^^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

"What would you like to eat?" A waitress pony asked once the 6 friends had gotten to the LongHoof restaurant.

"Oh darling it's about time" Rarity sarcastically remarked as the waitress finished her question.

Twilight just rolled her eyes before politely answering. "I'll have the burnt crispy haystraw, with a side order of oats and hayfries please" Twilight asked, getting a small nod from the waitress pony.

But while the other ponies ordered what they wanted, RainbowDash just sulked from where she sat. Her thoughts were just dwelling too much on Lightning Dust and BeautyBrass at today's tryouts.

She sighed.

_H-How could these ponies run into me and my friends yet again after all these past months? I-I mean... I didn't know they liked Basketball!_

Rainbow's thoughts then drifted back to the party night, where she had really first met them. She could still just hear the two ponies' voices running through her ears.

"Isn't this party GREAT!?" PinkiePie turned to ask RainbowDash who was admiring all of the Guests. "Sure is! I can't believe you even invited all of these ponies!" Rainbow admired. "Well duh! This is a party to let every pony know how much Fluttershy really truly needs a friend right now in her life. Every day she gets bullied or pushed over" Pinkie sadly then remarked, making Rainbow nod seriously. 

"So... This party is gonna help her get friends?" Rainbow then asked, not knowing what the real meaning of the party was yet.

"Yeah in other words" Pinkie smiled, just as Fluttershy suddenly came hurrying over to them.

"O-Oh my! S-So many ponies! I-I don't like being the center of attention!" Fluttershy quickly commented to PinkiePie who didn't seem to take notice of Fluttershy's main problem of shyness, seeming this party was for the point of it anyways.

"Oh nonsense! You'll soon love all of the attention!" Pinkie yelled happily as she then pressed a small button, unrolling a large banner overhead with a picture of Fluttershy on it.

Fluttershy gasp, making Rainbow quickly realize what really was sorta going on.

"W-Wait... You really don't like this party we threw for you?" Rainbow asked suddenly, making Pinkie's smile suddenly quickly fade at the question.

Fluttershy gulped, not knowing how to put this.

Sure Dash knew Fluttershy was... well... shy. But to not want attention? Rainbow loved attention, especially when it was all based on her.

"W-Well... I guess if you p-put it that way then... yes. I'm really not enjoying this party... I mean... it's g-great and all. And I loved the fact that you two cared for me... but... I-I just didn't ask for this" Fluttershy explained slowly, flinching every few seconds as some ponies trotted by her or something.

PinkiePie suddenly then recognized what was happening finally. "OOOOOOH... so you don't want a party?" Pinkie then asked again to make sure.

"N-No." Fluttershy answered firmly.

At this rate, Guilt began to prick Rainbow and Pinkie now. They hadn't even thought of Fluttershy being shy of her own party being thrown for her shyness!...

Pinkie finally then sighed though. "Oh... Ok.. I'm sorry for putting you through this mess... You can even go home if you want too.. seeming the party just started" Pinkie then suggested, making a small sad smile appear on Fluttershy's face. "Oh... thank you" She said, as she then spreaded her wings. Rainbow and Pinkie was watching her go when IT happened... 

Just as Fluttershy was lifting into the moonlit nightsky, these two ponies suddenly trotted up from in the crowd.

Rainbow instantly recognized the first green pony who appeared, which was Lightning Dust from back in the Wonderbolts training session season. The other?... Rainbow had no clue.

Lightning Dust quickly paused and stopped her chatting with her friend though, once she spotted Fluttershy.

"O-Oh em gee... Is that the party girl? Like, was this party thrown for this girl?" Lightning asked in a sudden cocky tone, making Rainbow quickly grow suspicious.

Fluttershy quickly heard her name and landed again. "O-Oh um yes" Fluttershy answered as kindly as ever.

Lightning Dust took one long look at the yellow Pegasus before she suddenly rammed her hooves into Fluttershy's side, causing Fluttershy to fall to the ground, landing helplessly in a puddle of mud from lastnight's storm.

Pinkie and Rainbow quickly reacted to this sudden action instantly. "HEY! why did you just push Fluttershy down?" Pinkie asked quite kindly, as if it was an accident. But Rainbow had seen the whole thing...

"Oh was that Fluttershy? The party girl?" Lightning asked sarcastically in a dull tone.

"UH YEAH IT WAS FLUTTERSHY! What? do you have something against her?" Rainbow then questioned challengingly.

PinkiePie was just now trying to help Fluttershy up. The poor yellow Pegasus already now had tears running down her face from the shove.

Lightning quickly gave a small dramatic gasp once she finally then noticed Rainbow though. "Oh hey Dash! I remember you! Me and you used to be pals back in the Wonderbolts training session remember?" Lightning asked, not seeing where this was yet going.

"Uh yeah I remember! Who wouldn't? Besides, it was only like a few months ago" Rainbow replied sharply, still eyeing Lightning suspiciously.

Pinkie then though budded into this starting quarrel. "Uh you two used to be pals?" Pinkie questioned.

Rainbow instantly realized her mistake. "Uh... well... kinda yeah" Rainbow then admitted, getting a small chuckle of amusement from Lightning's friend still standing there with her..

Lightning just rolled her eyes. "Whatever... Hey so um have you joined the Wonderbolts, officially now?" Lightning then randomly asked, making Rainbow pause in her suspecting for a second.

"Have I What?" Rainbow asked again.

Lightning's friend then replied to this. "Huh? We thought you were one of us? As in, being a Wonderbolt"

Dash for once didn't know what to say to this.

Lightning then turned to her friend after a moment. "I guess I was wrong BeautyBrass, I guess she's lame like you said she would be, months later" Lightning muttered, making Rainbow suddenly see what was happening.

"WAIT WHAT!? You think I'm lame for not being completely in the Wonderbolts? You know I'm a trainee right? So technically I'm in-" Rainbow began running her mouth when Lightning Dust's friend just cut her off again. 

"Yeah but your still lame. I mean, even the way you stood up for this poor pathetic yellow pony here" BeautyBrass then pointed out, nodding to Fluttershy who was still crying.

Rainbow quickly twitched at the word 'Lame'. She hated being called uncool.

This instantly offended her.

"Uh well yeah duh! She's my friend, and I'm LOYAL to my friends" Rainbow made her point.

This made Lightning and BeautyBrass only laugh though. "Wow, you hang out with someone like her?" Lightning Dust continued to make fun of BOTH Fluttershy and Rainbow now.

Horror at this moment was striking Fluttershy in her chest. Fluttershy watched on and on as her friend went at it to defend her and all she could do was sit here and cry?

_W-What's wrong w-with me..._

But Fluttershy had no choice but to watch on continuously.

Pinkie then poked Rainbow on the side. "H-Hey Dash, how about we just leave?" Pinkie suggested, but Rainbow just shrugged her off. Rainbow knew she was better than this. And she wanted to prove herself to these brats!

"Wow. You also hang out with this pink loon? Just proves how uncool and how strong you just really are" BeautyBrass then chuckled, making Rainbow then zip up to the prissy pony's face.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!? I am WAAAY stronger than the both of you! and also way cooler!" Rainbow sneered, making the two ponies just look at each other before replying.

Fluttershy shrunk back into her long mane at this. She couldn't just let RainbowDash do this!... But it was too late.

"Fine. Then prove it. Let's have a wingwar right here. right now" Lightning Dust suggested, making BeautyBrass give a small snicker from behind.

Dash quickly smirked at this. "YOUR ON!"

"Dashie! let's just leave! Your ruining the party for Flutter-" Pinkie began but Rainbow quickly just cut her off.

"Shush Pinks, I've got this!" Rainbow assured, basically lost in her own world at the moment. She was just so ready to prove herself that she had even forgotten about the true meaning of the party like Pinkie had said...

"Fine, over here" Lightning nodded in the center of the party clearing, where all could see.

Rainbow just shrugged. She didn't care if Lightning wanted to get seen failing, by all.

Lightning then flew over to stand on one end of the clearing, while RainbowDash went to the opposite end. Fluttershy shifted from PinkiePie's helpful grasp to catch a glimpse at what was about to happen...

"Ready loser?" Rainbow taunted, making Lightning just shrug.

"Come on Lightning! kick her pretty little rainbow tail!" BeautyBrass cheered from on the sidelines.

Rainbow didn't say anything. She just already knew she was stronger at Wingwars. 

She then opened her wings, as did Lightning Dust. Then the two flew at each other's side, their wings interlocking and pushing for dominance. Fluttershy watched on in horror. All this for her? A shameful feeling began bubbling so deeply inside of Fluttershy making small tears form on the edge of her eyes again...

Pinkie only watched on as well from beside her...

Rainbow was currently to the right side of Lightning's side, and Rainbow was to the left of Lightning. Their wings pushed each other the opposite way, making it harder and harder to push forwards for the two.

Rainbow felt herself easing though just slightly with more power. She was beginning to push Lightning backwards! 

Lightning let out a small pant from pushing, but she then began scooting Rainbow backwards now. 

Dash quickly didn't waste anytime. She pushed harder and harder, her hooves tearing the grass up now. She was then becoming dominant once more!

"I-I'm W-Winning!" Rainbow spoke through heavy pants and struggling noises.

Fluttershy couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't help but give a horrible shameful shriek making everypony at the party slow down...

Lightning just grunted before suddenly everything stopped.. The noise, the chatting and the music.

Instantly every pony became silent, as they all looked RainbowDash's and Lightning Dust's way.

Rainbow felt all eyes turn to her, and with that, she quickly ended the war by tearing away.

Her right wing was now shaking from aching pain but she didn't care. "W-What's going on?" Rainbow then asked the crowd of watching ponies.

Twilight simply stepped out from amongst the crowd. "Wow Rainbow.. Just wow. Way to help Fluttershy make some friends. Looks like the party is all based around you now..." Twilight snarled before she took off into the night sky with her alicorn wings.

Confusion clouded Rainbow's mind at this sudden harsh remark. "W-What?"

Every other pony muttered and groaned from annoyance at the two jousting Ponies as well but Lightning Dust didn't seem to care... yet Rainbow sure did.

"W-What? H-Huh?" Rainbow jerked her head in every which way to see ponies leaving in all directions.

She quickly flattened her ears and slumped her shoulders. "W-What have I done?" She muttered to herself as she glanced slowly over to where Pinkie and Fluttershy were last standing... apparently they had ran off now too...

Next BeautyBrass's voice rang through her ears though, making Dash look up. "Wow. You really ARE LOYAL to your friends" Brass teased before she and her friend Lightning Dust just simply took off... leaving one depressed Rainbow alone in the clearing...

"W-W-What have you done Dash?" 

_Dash..._

_Dash..._

_Dash..._

"Dash! RAINBOW WAKE UP!" The loud squeal of PinkiePie, interrupted Rainbow's overflowing memories, bringing her back to reality. "H-Huh? W-What?" Rainbow shook her head as she realized she was back at the restaurant with her friends.

"Rainbow! Snap out of it!" Applejack's country accent then sounded.

Rainbow quickly took control again to realize that everyone was getting up to leave now.

"W-What have you been doing darling? You've been just off in your own world the whole entire time!" Rarity explained, making Rainbow turn red slightly.

"Oh uh.. S-Sorry..." Rainbow slumped her shoulders. But she quickly then realized that she had forgotten to order and eat!

"W-WAIT! we're not leaving already now are we?" Rainbow quickly asked frantically.

"Uh yeah? Why? We've been here for like an hour now" Applejack then replied.

"B-But I didn't get to eat!" Rainbow protested making everyone just glance at each other.

"Well we thought you weren't hungry... so... we just ate without you" Twilight explained, her eyes suddenly beginning to worry. "A-Are you sure your ok?" She asked next, making Rainbow just glare at her. "Fine. Perfectly fine" she answered, narrowing her eyes in frustration.

Applejack just scoffed. "Ok then" She taunted with a look.

"Oh well in that case, let's get going! I just got a text from the coach by the way saying he wants us at practice by tomorrow night" Rarity then announced as everyone scooted out from the booth table they had been eating from.

Fluttershy just stared sorrowfully at Rainbow, while Applejack just gave a confused sneer at her, turning away.

Rainbow sighed.

_This is gonna be awful..._

* * *

**Please review! for this chapter had over 2,000 words! lots of effort was put forth...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

RainbowDash managed to brighten up a bit once they had gotten to practice that next night. Rarity of course had brought her own ball yet again, along with some Clorox wipes, a huge bottle of water, and some disinfect spray... typical prissy type was all.

Everyone else had simply brought their own water bottles as well, while Twilight came with some long gym socks and Rainbow wore her usual sweatband.

Once the ponies were inside the large gym, Pinkie almost instantly exploded. "WHOOOAAA! This place is so big!" Pinkie yelled happily, staring across the long huge shiny-floored gym.

Applejack nodded. "Sure is. Almost might even be as big as my apple acres!" Applejack remarked next, making Pinkie smile happily.

"I-It looks like it could even hold an e-elephant or three maybe" Fluttershy then quietly added.

Next though Twilight turned to the group. "Ok girls we're here to practice and get better at Basketball. So no games, got it Pinkie?" Twilight specifically pointed out as she explained.

Rarity nodded with a slight grunt with having to get all sweaty and hot.

Meanwhile though, Applejack quickly noticed Rainbow's low attitude. She inched towards her friend. "Uh... h-hey there sugercube. Why aren't you acting all pumped tonight? Y-You were kinda acting weird the night before as well" Applejack asked suddenly, making Rainbow feel a little lifted by her friend's caring nature.

"O-Oh uh... I don't know" Rainbow smiled but then lied, not wanting to bother.

Applejack just gave a smug look in reply though. "No there's something bothering you all right. You gonna tell me?" AJ prompted more eagerly.

Rainbow pondered for a second.

_W-Well... Applejack DID help me shoo Them off back at the tryouts.. so maybe Applejack will understand my situation I'm in at the moment?..._

Rainbow then sighed, ready to confess when suddenly some doors at the far end of the gym creaked open, revealing Coach FastBall!

FastBall wore his usual black workout jacket and some long athletic gym socks.

Rarity though gasped at his sudden return, almost even fainting with disgust.

Twilight took a deep breath herself even before turning to her friends. "We're here to get better, so just pay attention" Twilight whispered to her friends before she turned back to face FastBall, who was now trotting down towards them along the side of the gym.

At this opportune moment, Applejack gave RainbowDash yet again another nudge. "Well? What it is?" Applejack urged, agitation biting at her now.

Rainbow huffed, bracing herself. She then turned her head to look into Applejack's green eyes. "Ok..." she sighed. "I-It's about... Lightning Dust and BeautyBrass from the other day at tryouts... T-They've been kinda bugging me ever since they made the team" Rainbow confessed, her head lowering slowly.

Applejack just stared at her for a moment longer before answering. "What? Really? Is that it?" Applejack questioned, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as if thinking Rainbow was lying like usual.

Dash quickly understood how unimportant this must seem to AJ at the moment. "Yeah that's it! Duh, I know it seems like nothing but... so what? It bothers me that we might have to face them in a game..." Rainbow began spilling more details out now, making Applejack quickly straighten her looks.

"Huh?... W-Well I don't still understand how YOU could be... how should I put this... afraid of them" Rainbow couldn't believe her ears at the moment. Was AppleJack TAUNTING HER!?

Applejack's voice had dropped dangerously low, forming into a mocking tone just to annoy Rainbow. Applejack just grinned knowing this would get to her stubborn friend.

Dash quickly looked her straight in the eye at this. "J-Just WHAT are you saying?" Rainbow growled, making Applejack quickly back up. "H-Hey whoa. Cool it. What I only mean is, your Rainbow! I thought you weren't afraid of anything" Applejack scoffed slightly, making Rainbow just narrow her eyes some more.

"I-I'm not afraid you idiot! I just can't stop thinking about the night when Pinkie and I had decided to throw that party, in dedication to Fluttershy! That's where me and those jerks first met remember?" Rainbow explained furiously.

Applejack pondered for a moment. "Hmm.. but didn't you first meet Lightning Dust at the Wonderbolts tryouts?" Applejack asked next.

Rainbow face palmed herself. "Naaaaw, I met her back in pony-highschool! DUH that's where I met her first! But that night was when we finally saw each other for the first time again, and it was also the night I was finally introduced to her ridiculous friend, BeautyBrass too!" Rainbow snarled, using some sarcasm in her tone as well.

Applejack pondered for a few seconds, realizing really just how important this was to her friend.

"O-Oh... Well hey, they're not that bad! I mean, sure they were quite mean at the tryouts but-" Applejack began, not knowing really where she was heading with this.

"Yeah but the party was humiliating!" Rainbow reminded AJ with a snort, just as FastBall finally reached the small awaiting group of ponies.

"Hello again. The name's FastBall... And I AM your Coach for the upcoming games. No buts, ifs, or whats on my team either. Anyways-" FastBall began his welcome, not simply noticing the two at the back, who were continuing their talk.

"Yeah but Rainbow that was like months ago!" Applejack commented back to her friend.

Rainbow turned her head away from Applejack, for once thinking that AJ was being a little sensible. "Y-Y-Yeah?... Y-yeah... I know... But it still bothers me on the fact that they pick on me" Rainbow admitted, her pride kicking at her brains, telling her to stop confessing so much.

Applejack just stood up straighter at this. "Wow, and you really get offended at their sorry comebacks?" She questioned next. Applejack knew just how to get Rainbow back on her challenging, daring side. And she sometimes even enjoyed it too. All you had to do was just annoy her. And that was the easy part.

Applejack quickly took notice of Rainbow's small twitch at this. Rainbow then scoffed. "What? Whoever said I was offended by them?"

AJ gave a smirk, happy to see her friend ever so slowly brightening at the taunt now. "Uh... well, your face has it written all over" Applejack continued, making Rainbow suddenly burn with sudden anger.

"H-Huh?! No way! You won't be seeing me get so easily offended by them... jerks! Their nothing!" Rainbow agreed finally as she then jerked her head around to face AJ now.

Applejack only smiled. "Your so right" she muttered sarcastically.

"I Am." Rainbow agreed, puffing out her chest next.

"...Again. Anyways, so um how about we get started?" Suddenly FastBall's voice got Rainbow's attention again.

"W-What? He's been standing here the whole time?... and we didn't even notice him?" Rainbow suddenly whispered to AJ next, realizing yet again that they were at practice! They were just about to start training!

Applejack gave a chuckle. "I-I didn't notice him either. And here I thought he had a loud mouth" Applejack teased, making Rainbow agree with laughter. "Yeah, look at the size of it. I'd like to see him yawn! It would probably be as big as a cave!" Dash then added with a few more chuckles. Applejack only giggled back.

FastBall yet only continued talking to Twilight and the rest. "Anyways so that's about all I have to say... How bout we get started?" FastBall finally finished, making Twilight suddenly panic slightly. "...Uh wait. Where are the other ponies? I thought there were more than just us that completed the tryouts" Twilight suddenly remarked, making FastBall only clear his throat yet again for another thorough reply.

"Uh... Well, they've been put on another team of course. And they're training in a whole different gym" FastBall confessed, making Rarity raise her eyebrows. "Really darling? Because I thought you said that we were pathetic losers who didn't deserve to play basketball" Rarity dramatically started again, making FastBall look at her in surprised shock.

"What? When did I say that?" FastBall questioned, making Rarity's eyes just dart around the gym. "Y-You know, back at tryouts. It was written all on your face of course... is what I meant to have said" Rarity then corrected her self.

FastBall just rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Well after seeing these two here, RainbowDash and Applejack-" FastBall's voice suddenly caught the two's attention at the back, making their heads pop up.

"-I finally saw how true and loyal you all were to your friends. And I thought maybe this wouldn't be a bad team to take. I mean, you guys were really going at it, just so all of you could make the team" FastBall answered with a swift nod.

Rainbow and Applejack quickly turned red at the mention of their names.

Twilight only smiled happily. But she then had to go and ask another questioning question yet again. "R-Really? Because I thought we'd have a bigger team than just us though?"

FastBall shook his head. "We had limited players that passed. So we had to share them and make them into two equal teams. Of course though we'll be going against more teams than just that other team" FastBall then noted, making everyone just look around at each other at the upcoming competition...

* * *

**Thanks for the viewers ^^**

**Also if it wouldn't hurt, could you please leave a review? I've been dying to see how well I've done. And I'm wanting to see if I will write more so... please do so **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

Twilight followed Coach FastBall to the center of the gym with her friends closely behind. She couldn't wait to play Basketball with her friends like at real games!

FastBall then turned now once they had gotten to the center. "Ok. To begin with the lesson, I want you all to start and give me twenty pushups" FastBall then instructed, officially starting practice... or training whatever.

This made Fluttershy give a loud shriek of terror while Rarity just gave another one of her dramatic gasps. "How dare you order me to to get on this filthy ground and do some pushups!? I-I don't even like exercising!" Rarity complained.

"D-Do we have too?" Fluttershy then asked from behind her long pink strands of hair.

"Well... um excuse my language but I AM YOUR FLIPPING COACH! NOW YOU GET OUT THERE AND SHOW ME WHY I EVEN PICKED YOU!" FastBall instantly became himself again from back at tryouts, making everyone groan.

Rainbow on the other hand was getting pumped. "Come on you ponies! You call that excitement!? Didn't Twilight say we came to get better? Well this is the only way!" Rainbow then flew into the air, raising her voice proudly now.

Applejack quickly agreed with a 'YEEEHAW!' while Rarity just gave a 'Humph!'

"OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH! We're actually training now! Take a picture of me! I wanna remember this day!" Pinkie this exploded with happiness, as she began bouncing up and down in her same spot.

Rainbow facepalmed herself but lightened up. "T-That's the spirit Pinkie!" Rainbow unexcitedly yelled. Rainbow wasn't about to let her awesomeness and style get pushed away by... Lightning Dust and Beautybrass... no. Just like Applejack had said, it happened like, months ago!

"B-But what if I get germs! Or what if I get dirty!?" Rarity whined, prancing around the sleek-lookin' gym.

"Um... Rarity? I think the gym's been washed already before we ever even came in" Rainbow only huffed, as she began flapping her wings more slowly.

Twilight though then spoke up. "RainbowDash is right though girls. Just because of a little work and a small amount of sweat on our backs doesn't mean we have to back down.. I say we do this and get this over with" Twilight then agreed, getting down onto the floor to ready her pushup position.

"There we go!" FastBall encouraged with a nod.

"Well dog-gone! You ponies haven't even felt the true meaning of 'work' like me! Why I'm out in the blistering sun for like twelve hours a day!" Applejack then added as RainbowDash then flew down beside her with a thump. "AWWW YEAH! Let's do this!" Rainbow then cheered, making Applejack give yet again another 'YEEEHAW!'.

* * *

Twilight felt every single muscle in her body ache as she finally went onto the twentieth pushup.

Sweat ran down her brow while her bangy purple hair hang in her face. Though RainbowDash and Applejack were right about the work and the whole 'getting better thing', Twilight had to admit that this was getting a little ridiculous already. Even for her, who was being so cheerful from the start.

Once Twilight had then finished, she then began panting heavily as she slowly turned to look at how her friends were doing. PinkiePie had like, finished her pushups before FastBall could even say go. RainbowDash and Applejack both of course were done as well though. But Rarity and Fluttershy?

Rarity was squealing and whining dramatically as she ever-so-slowly did her pushups. Each time she finished one pushup she had to wipe her head with a cloth and take a sip of water.

Fluttershy on the other hand was hardly even doing a pushup!

Though Twilight was still glad that the shy Pegasus tried...

"OK! Seeming we wasted about ten minutes on this one easy subject let's already go ahead and just move on..." FastBall suggested, quickly making Rarity and Fluttershy immediately stop from their working progress.

"Well! It's about time!" Rarity huffed as she fluffed out her beautiful curls.

Applejack only rolled her eyes at this.

Next though was gonna start the main real deal stuff now. Twilight awaited patiently for FastBall's command. "Ok next I want all of you to each take a ball and began doing a simple dribble" FastBall nodded over to where a rack of backetballs stood from on the sidelines of the gym.

Rainbow though crossed her arms at this. "What? I want some real action! I wanna do something like, at the next level like-" Rainbow began impatiently but FastBall only gave her look, while Applejack just glared at her.

"O-On second thought... dribbling is ok I guess" Rainbow then corrected herself, but she did it like she was forced to...

"Well as you all know I brought my own ball" Rarity then remarked as she revealed her lovely pink basketball from near some stands.

FastBall rolled his eyes at this again. "Rarity you gotta stop with this stupid drama!"

This quickly made Rarity jump with sudden shock. "Are you accusing me of the way I work? How dare you! I for one, am a fabulous mare who wishes to not-" Rarity began but Rainbow zipped in front of her. "Sooo what? You don't wanna get dirty or something? We're in a gym!" Dash spoke sarcastically causing Rarity to take a few steps back from Rainbow's loud tone.

"Excuse me? But I think I was talking to FastBall" Rarity turned her head defiantly away, making Rainbow burn with annoyance and grind her teeth.

"H-Hey girls let's just get along, please?" Twilight's soft tone then offered.

Rainbow only zipped off to the rack for a 'radical' ball so to speak, while Rarity just kept on polishing her own pink ball from home.

Over at the racks suddenly, Fluttershy came up with a small confused look on her face, making Rainbow turn to look at her oddly. "Y-You ok Fluttershy?" Dash asked.

Fluttershy glanced around nervously. "W-Well... I-I guess you could say that" Fluttershy nodded slowly.

Rainbow still just eyed her friend suspiciously. She knew that Fluttershy wasn't telling her everything. "You sure? Cause it looks to me like you've got something on your mind..." Rainbow then stopped from her usual hovering and landed on the gym floor next to her friend.

Fluttershy still didn't talk though, making it hard for Rainbow to control her agitation.

"I-I think I said everything is fine..." Fluttershy reminded Dash softly, not wanting to start anything...

"Yeeeaaah... and I think I said that there's more than what your telling me" Rainbow narrowed her eyes.

Fluttershy paused a second before glancing around to see if anyone was near them. The others were still arguing with Rarity at the moment with her ball. "Come on Rare, you need to use a real ball for these things" Applejack prompted the stubborn unicorn.

"No thank you Applejack. I'm perfectly fine doing things my way..." Rarity shrugged the earth pony's advise off, making AJ now burn with rising fury. "Well I still think you should do it OUR way" Applejack spoke through clenched teeth now.

Fluttershy then turned to look back into Rainbow's magenta eyes. "W-Well... Ok... I-I'll tell you.." She finally decided.

Rainbow managed to give a weak smile of thanks to this but on the inside, she was blistering with anger.

"S-So what is it?" Rainbow then urged restlessly.

Fluttershy gulped before speaking finally. "W-Well It's just... I-I don't really know... B-But it feels like I-I'm not worthy of still being on this team" Fluttershy then admitted, making Rainbow's anger quickly disappear in a flash, replacing it with confusion.

"H-Huh? Why?" Dash asked next, curiously.

"W-Well it's just... You and all of the others all look so good at these... tests and warm ups... and I bet you'll do even better at the real games... b-but all I can do is just speak softly and talk to little sweet harmless animals... I-I don't think Basketball is really for me..." Fluttershy explained, turning her head in shame now to look away.

Rainbow instantly began her hovering again, her wings flapping wildly. "WHAT!? That's crazy talk Fluttershy, and you know it too! Your as good as any member here..." Rainbow corrected her sorrowful friend, though Dash couldn't help but think that Fluttershy did have a small point...

_Fluttershy's only been good with animals and gentle things... not rough defensive and offensive skills like Basketball..._

"W-Well that's what everyone says but to me... I... Oh..." Fluttershy trailed off as soon as Twilight suddenly trotted over to the two.

"Hey girls! What's going on over here? RainbowDash, have you and Fluttershy chosen a ball yet?" Twilight began asking questions, making Rainbow slowly inch back from Fluttershy's secretive, personal space.

"Uh... Well no. Not yet. I mean... I-I have to truly pick the most coolest and most radical ball here if I'm going to play like I do!" Rainbow quickly made something up, hoping for Twilight to buy it. And of course, being the egghead she is, she did.

"Oh, ok Dashie" Twilight nodded in convenience to her friend's usual ways.

"Uh yeah, it's gotta be as strong as me, or it'll end up popping!" Rainbow also added, giving a small, unsure smile at the end.

Twilight only stared at her a moment longer before she then nodded and turned to Fluttershy. "Ok?... So Fluttershy what's going on with you? Does your ball have to be cool and radical too?" Twilight dumbfoundedly asked next.

Fluttershy only turned away to hide her tears that were beginning to fall.

"U-U-Um... I guess so... B-But I-I'd rather the ball be g-gentle and soft" Fluttershy corrected Twilight in a wobbly tone.

Twilight stared at Fluttershy for a moment. "Huh?" she then questioned, making Rainbow quickly react.

She just had to stall Twilight!

"Uh... Oh wow Twilight, look! This ball has your name written all over it! It sooo deserves you" Rainbow quickly and yet randomly picked out a ball from the rack, making Twilight instantly turn to look at it.

She then lit up and smiled. "Thanks Rainbow! It does look like it needs me" Twilight played along and took the ball.

Dash sighed in relief next as Twilight then began to head back to where Rarity and Applejack were still quarreling.

But she then turned to look at the distressed Fluttershy... what if Fluttershy really did quit?

* * *

**Please review**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Applejack felt like she was going to really explode from her sizzling anger right now! Rarity was still being the drama queen she truly was with her stupid ball!

"RARITY! Please just don't be the outcast here!" Applejack urged, making Rarity just fight even more. "Oh Applejack, you all are the ones that are outcasts to me. I mean, I am the one here that have my own ways of doing things and I specifically want to use my own ball for this situation, thank you" Rarity remarked sharply, making AJ grind her teeth now.

"NO? Your the outcast! Your the odd one out! The only one brown cow!" Applejack began using some of her country slangs that Granny Smith had taught her, making Rarity instantly jerk her head around. "I BEG YOUR PARDON!? A BROWN COW!?" Rarity snarled in disgust at the filthy word, seeming she thought they were just completely nasty.

"Oh yes! A brown cow! We're all black and white cows while your the odd one out!" Applejack explained thoroughly, getting an 'I don't care' from Rarity next.

Finally though Coach FastBall had completely had enough with this.

"QUIET! LISTEN UP! YES APPLEJACK I REALLY THINK IT'S STUBBORN ON HOW RARITY WANTS TO USE HER PRISSY BEAT UP OLD BALL!" FastBall began getting an "Excuse me!?" from Rarity next but FastBall only continued.

"BUT IT'S ALSO DUMB ON HOW YOU HAD TO JUST GO AND FIGHT OVER ABOUT IT TOO! SO YOU GO GET A BALL FROM THE RACK AND LET THIS IDIOTIC DRAMA QUEEN DO HER THING!" FastBall exploded, his eyes burning, and his nostrils quivering.

Applejack was quickly offended by this. She flattened her ears, seeing her wrong now and turned to head for the rack. "Oh... Your right coach. I-I'm sorry" Applejack slowly apologized.

FastBall nodded. "You should be... BOTH of you two" FastBall pointed out. And with that, Applejack hurried for a ball...

* * *

"NOW! I want you all, with your OWN balls, to go down dribbling with the ball, turn and come all the way back up. You will keep doing this cycle over and over until I say so. You may not and you will not pause and get a sip of water, RARITY, and you MUST reach the blue lines down on each side of the gym before turning to go back" FastBall explained the rules and details on the next lesson.

PinkiePie was jumping up and down now. Her excitement just bubbling away. "OH MY GOSH! Can you believe it!? We're starting our LOOOONG journey through the cycle of BASKETBALL!" Pinkie screamed crazily, making everyone just rub their ears from the loud echo and ignore her.

Rainbow on the other hand, was steadying herself. She couldn't wait for the training... the lessons... the games! She wanted to get into Lightning Dust's face now and show her what 'Rainbow DASH' really meant.

Though she also still couldn't stop thinking of what Fluttershy had told her a few minutes ago either...

_Fluttershy really thinks she isn't cut out for the team?_

Rainbow had no idea that Fluttershy was feeling like this...

In fact, Fluttershy right now was actually thinking about what she had told RainbowDash as well just a few minutes ago...

_What if Rainbow thinks I'm stupid and worthless now? What if everyone starts to think I'm a failure?..._

So many questions and 'What if's' began running through Fluttershy's mind that she didn't hear the whistle as FastBall yelled GO. Every Pony quickly took off, leaving Fluttershy behind.

Fluttershy quickly gasped and took off after her friends now.

_OH NO! This is exactly what I feared would happen!_

Fluttershy ran and ran, her legs just pumping away as fast as she could. She already could feel the embarrassment burning on her face from what the coach might have seen.

She then watched as RainbowDash was the first to reach the blue line and to turn around and begin to head back. Applejack was next to turn, followed by Pinkie and Twilight.

_That only leaves Rarity!_

Fluttershy watched as Rarity was just simply taking her time.

_M-Maybe I can catch up to her?..._

But right as Fluttershy had thought this, Rarity turned around with her ball and began heading back.

Fluttershy quickly began to freak out now. She then began searching the ground frantically for a blue line to appear at her hooves.

"W-Where is it?" Fluttershy muttered to herself.

Finally though after a few more seconds of running, she then saw the huge blue line, that marked for her to turn around. She quickly stopped dribbling and began to head back.

But as soon as she lifted her head to see the long trip back to the starting blue line, she then noticed RainbowDash zipping down and passing her again, overlapping her!?

Fluttershy felt so embarrassed now! She was getting overlapped!?

But that was when her long pink mane suddenly tripped her, making her stumble and lose the ball.

Fluttershy let out a small yelp as the ball went rolling away onto the sidelines...

Tears began to once again quickly form into her eyes at her failure when Rarity's sudden voice shocked Fluttershy out from her sudden moment. "D-Darling! Are you ok?" Rarity suddenly asked, making Fluttershy look up with her big teal eyes at her friend.

"N-N-N-..." Fluttershy began as she then realized now that Rarity was getting ready to also overlap her...

"N-N-N-" Fluttershy fumbled in her words, not knowing what really to say.

Rarity only waited though as everything seemed to hold still now and just pause in time. "Y-Yes?" She prompted.

Fluttershy then heard the sound of FastBall's whistle. "KEEP GOING YOU PONIES!-... FLUTTERSHY!? WHY ARE YOU ON THE GROUND!? GET BACK UP AND START DRIBBLING AGAIN!" FastBall demanded making Rarity just scoot right along.

"I-I tried..." Rarity's voice trailed away as she began dribbling again.

Fluttershy just sat there ominously and continuously, not daring to look up and show her tear-stained face now..

_W-What should I do?..._

But that's when RainbowDash now stopped from her dribbling as well and suddenly came trotting up. "F-Fluttershy? What just are you doing? Are you ok?"

Fluttershy didn't know how to answer, and she then also began to hear her other friends' voices too.

"FLUTTERSHY?" Came Pinkie's.

"Fluttershy? What's wrong?" Came Twilight's.

"Uh... Flutter?" Applejack's country accent then followed.

OH HOW COULD SHE SPEAK!?

"Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked one last time before Fluttershy just began to explode with tears.

"I-I-I-I can't do this!" Fluttershy whined finally yet quietly enough for only Rainbow to hear.

Dash was quickly taken aback now, seeing that Fluttershy was thinking about herself as a 'failure' again...

"N-No don't say that. Look, you just need to uh... well..." Rainbow began but didn't know how to put it in Fluttershy's case.

"YEAH?" Fluttershy mumbled forcefully from under her mane.

"Well... you just gotta keep going I guess?" Rainbow then suggested, thinking of herself as an idiot.

_Why did I say that?..._

"Yeah, how can I? My ball rolled off to the side" Fluttershy whispered back.

"Well-" Rainbow was cut off by a hoof suddenly clamping around her neck.

Rainbow quickly began spluttering with sudden shock and horror. She was then dragged back to her line position in the gym. After she was placed back to where she belonged, the hoof loosened from around her neck.

Rainbow instantly jerked her head around angrily at.. FASTBALL.

She wasn't even quite surprised to see the angry coach's face...

"W-W-WHAT THE HAY WERE YOU DOING TO MY-" Rainbow began furiously getting all in the coach's face but FastBall just met her match. "NO. WHAT WERE YOU DOING!? STOP MESSING AROUND WITH FLUTTERSHY AND LET ME HANDLE THINGS AROUND HERE!" FastBall demanded, his tone as angrier as anypony had ever heard it!

Dash quickly shrunk away from the stallion's anger, nodding quickly at this.

"GOOD. NOW CONTINUE YOUR TRAINING WHILE I DEAL WITH FLUTTERSHY" FastBall instructed, handing Rainbow her ball.

He then cleared his throat. "THAT GOES FOR THE REST OF YOU ALL TOO!" FastBall announced, making everypony resume their training.

He then started storming for Fluttershy, who's head was deep in her own mane.

Fluttershy trembled now, waiting her punishment...

"I-I'm so s-sorry Rainbow" She cried softly as she heard FastBall's hooves stomping on the gym floor to her.

"I-I-I... O-Oh...

* * *

**Please leave a review and tell me what ya think**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Devastation pricked Twilight's heart after what she had just witnessed. Fluttershy was gonna get in really big trouble now that Rarity and RainbowDash had even tried to get involved in helping her...

Nothing just seemed like it was going well...

_Oh... I wish we could just have a simple fun time and have a simple coach and... But that's not what we have do we? We have to do this or we'll never be as good as the other teams we face..._

Fear pricked Twilight as she then began to realize that the more they stalled, the more they might not be able to train, causing them to probably totally flunk the upcoming games!

They needed this time to train! Especially Fluttershy!

Twilight then watched as FastBall trudged over to Rarity to speak a few words to her as well, before he then turned towards Fluttershy's small shaking body from on the gym floor.

He snorted before he pounded over to the yellow Pegasus now, his ears flat against his head in anger.

"W-What do you think'll happen to Fluttershy?" Came Applejack's sudden voice from beside Twilight.

Twilight quickly flinched and freaked out at this. "H-Huh? A-Applejack? W-What are you doing!? You need to take this time seriously and get back to where your supposed to be... FastBall may be a jerk sometimes but he's doing this for our own good. We need to be punished so we can see our wrong!" Twilight explained thoroughly making Applajack just twitch her ears.

"U-Uh so... That means I gotta go back to my spot right?" Applejack dumbdoundedly asked next.

Twilight just sighed dramatically. "I-I'm sorry AJ. I just think we need more... well... control over ourselves" Twilight then admitted, lowering her head now.

So far things weren't going as planned... especially now.

* * *

Fluttershy coward in FastBall's shadow, not daring to look up.

The Coach just stood towering over her for a long moment now, making Fluttershy wonder if he was really gonna punish her or not? But then he finally spoke, making Fluttershy just wanna get up and go home...

"Fluttershy... What in the name of Celestia are you doing? GET UP. NOW..." FastBall demanded, making Fluttershy instantly rise to her hooves, but she was carefully balancing herself so that her hair didn't uncover her face...

"Now, what I want you to do is get your ball and just get back in line... IT'S SO SIMPLE!" FastBall ordered next, his snout now inches away from her mane-covered face.

"U-Um ok..." Fluttershy finally nodded before she then began turning towards the direction in which her ball had rolled off too...

"GOOD. NOW STOP BEING SO IMMATURE AND GET BACK TO PRACTICE!" FastBall roared before he trotted back to his position at the starting blue line. He then blew the whistle, signaling for everyone to start their dribbling yet again.

Rarity, who was now taking the time to get a sip of water from her waterbottle, had a totally disgusted look on her face now.

_What does that FastBall think he's doing? He can't possibly help train us with that kinda attitude?..._

Come to think of it now, Rarity was seeing all of her friends beginning to tear apart from each other. They all tried to care for one another but was only always then tore away from their kindness by.. COACH FASTBALL!

Rarity sighed as she then heard the whistle. She got to her hooves and then picked up her delicate pink Basketball from home. "A-At least your still as gorgeous as me, right?" Rarity then spoke to her ball boastfully just as suddenly FastBall stepped in front of her path from getting back into her place on the blue line.

"I-I beg your pardon sir but I think I'm ready to start practicing again... So if you just excuse me I'll be on my way and-" Rarity began as soon as FastBall had casted her a snobbish look.

"Oh no you don't" FastBall straightened his shoulders, causing Rarity to take a step back in a sudden unsure manner.

"Your going to train like everypony else here! It's time you knew the meaning of 'Orders' and 'Respect'. Here... TAKE THIS!" FastBall instantly shoved a normal basketball into Rarity's hooves, causing her to flail and drop it quickly.

"E-Eww gross! I can't touch that! It's been handled by so many other ponies that I just simply couldn't-" Rarity began whining, but FastBall had just simply had enough now, what with Fluttershy, her and Rainbowdash stepping out of line all for a roll-away-ball?

"Look miss. I think I'm the coach here, now your going to do what I tell you to do. NOW GET TO IT!" FastBall instructed, not taking any more chances.

Rarity quickly bit back a sharp remark, now seeing where this was truly leading.. How could FastBall do this to her? He knew just how much this germ thing meant to her and all he had to say was 'Get to it' and blow it off?!

_T-This truly is unfair!_

Without wasting another split second to just sit and look at FastBall's ugly, cruel, idiotic face, Rarity quickly picked up the nasty ball that had been picked from off of the rack and began strutting over to her starting position again.

Her ears were flat and for the first time ever... she didn't feel very glamorous...

* * *

**Please leave a review. VERY APPRECIATIVE.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Applejack raced back and forth down the gym in a line, with her ball just dribbling right beside her. RainbowDash, PinkiePie, and Twilight were starting to do the same now, leaving Fluttershy and Rarity out of the picture...

_W-Wait, where is Rarity and Fluttershy?_

Duh Applejack knew Fluttershy was still getting her ball but Rarity?

As Applejack ran and ran, she finally slowed her pace to get a small picture of where Rarity actually was. Applejack then spotted the white unicorn, who was talking and standing next to FastBall. Her ears were beginning to droop and her eyes were losing their feistiness, which usually was always glimmering in her fabulous eyes but now?...

Applejack couldn't help but finally slow to a complete stop.

RainbowDash on the other hand was speeding down the court back and forth like some kind of rocket. Twilight was doing the same, but at a slightly much noticeably slower pace.

Applejack couldn't understand what was happening at the moment with Rarity and FastBall. The two just eyed each other for respect at the moment before Rarity finally picked up a... a normal Basketball!?

Confusion and bewilderment swallowed Applejack up in an instant.

_What in the hay is Rarity doin' with a normal ball?! I thought she had her own!?_

Next Applejack then watched as FastBall threw her noticeably pink ball to the side of the gym and watched Rarity off to her spot quirkily. He knew he was in charge yet he liked to see the ponies' reactions when they were forced to admit their wrong...

"T-This can't be happening!" Applejack muttered quite loudly aloud, causing Twilight to slow down for a few seconds, giving her a look, before she sped back up again.

RainbowDash was now zipping down the court so fast that all anyone saw of her was her rainbowish trail she left as she flew. She couldn't help herself! She wanted to get waaay better at Basketball so that she could face Lightning Dust and Beautybrass during a game without breaking a sweat... or at least not showing her fears.

She just knew she had to do this!

_I-I've just gotta train harder!..._

She picked up more speed until finally she couldn't take it anymore! Everything was all zipping by her within a flash! She quickly began feeling dizzy until she then got off course and sped straight into the wall of the gym. "WHOOOOOAAA!"

She crashed unexpectedly, making everything just completely... STOP.

Dust and rocks sprinkled around her.

"W-Wha? Huh?.. O-Ooh" Rainbow felt the wall crack slightly before it completely gave way with a crumble.

Debris clouded her eyes as she then got to her hooves. "W-What happened? I-I was totally going the speed!... I-I don't crash!?" Rainbow remarked angrily to herself as she shook some dust off of her.

_But I guess I-I did for once..._

Rainbow could just picture Lightning Dust and Beautybrass cackling at her now... OH! HOW SHE HATED TO BE LAUGHED AT!

She then flew to where her ball had rolled off to. She picked it up in a swipe and then quickly flew back to where her position was on the line, grinding her teeth in utter annoyance at herself for crashing...

Fluttershy had even given a small shriek after she had watched RainbowDash crash unbearably at top speed. Fluttershy was now back on track, dribbling down the course. But everything seemed to still bother her.. How were she and her friends to get better with this kinda training? This was nothing!

She had seen Twilight's face when RainbowDash and Rarity had gotten out of line to help her. Twilight was angry with the stalling, and she just wanted to train... She had also seen the look on Rarity's face as well when she was told to give her pink ball away... And Fluttershy just couldn't miss the moment when Applejack had slowed down as well to see how her friends were just failing miserably without doing things their way. AND RAINBOWDASH'S CRASH WAS UNMISSABLE!

What was all of these ponies afraid of!?

She then turned her head slowly to peer at the still-going and still-happy PinkiePie, who hadn't stopped for no reason whatsoever.

_A-A-At least Pinkie is still doing well?..._

But Fluttershy still couldn't shake the matter of what was happening with her friends!? It was only the first night of practice, and everything that could possibly ever go wrong was happening ALL AT ONCE!?

Suddenly next FastBall blew his whistle, making the sound echo throughout the gym. Fluttershy had even given a small flinch when she had heard it at first.

"OK! Now let's get into some much harder training finally, seeming you ponies can hardly even dribble the ball without flunking or just simply tripping over your own hair!" FastBall was noting Fluttershy from in his speech but he didn't want to push the matter any further.

A beat up, aching RainbowDash came up panting like a dog, while a miserable, sick lookin' Rarity followed. Twilight didn't look too fit either. Her hair was messy from the continuous run down the court and sweat and frustration just covered her face at the moment. Applejack was pretty fine... at least that's what her face said. Pinkie was bouncing excitedly up and down with a huge smile on her face, awaiting the next lesson while Fluttershy just still felt broken hearted at herself for being such a fool in front of the coach and her friends... Everything was crashing.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Please continue and leave a review**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Twilight sighed and turned to her already tired out friends. She needed to show them that they could do this... they just needed to try way harder and become much stronger than this..

"Look girls we can do this. I know we can" Twilight pleaded earnestly, making RainbowDash just give her a look.

"W-What do you think we've been doing? Messing around!? Uh Hello? I've been working my wings off out there! And practice has only just begun!" Rainbow pointed out miserably and yet quite agitatedly as well.

Fluttershy just lowered her head.

How could Twilight expect more from them?

Rainbow just couldn't believe that they were ever going to get better...

_I just don't understand... I've tried so hard and all I can manage to do is crash!?_ _To me that is failing..._

"Look Twilight I know your trying to make us feel better but... I-I feel like a... a.." Dash began, not knowing how or what really to say! It was like she was caught up in her own world at trying to just get Lightning Dust and Beautybrass back from that night at the party for Fluttershy!

Rainbow felt so much guilt and always so humiliated whenever she looked at Fluttershy or even talked to her...

Applejack quickly noticed her friend's sudden blueness again.

Applejack then came up to stand beside her suddenly. "L-Look Rainbow. This here Basketball thing ain't all about Lightning Dust and BeautyBrass you know?" Applejack lowered her voice though so that no other pony could hear. She knew this was seriously bothering Rainbow yet she couldn't help but want to just make fun of her all at once.

Rainbow quickly though just nudged her away. "Look it matters to me AJ OK?!" Dash snapped a little louder than she would have liked.

Twilight instantly turned her attention onto the two now, and began eyeing them suspiciously. "...W-What exactly matters to you now, Rainbow?" Twilight asked suddenly, making Rainbow quickly freeze on the spot.

Dash quickly casted AJ a glare before she turned to Twilight. "Getting better is all that matters" She answered. Though Rainbow knew this wasn't the complete truth, it was still meaningful on how she wanted to get better to show Lightning Dust who was the best at Basketball...

Twilight just nodded and smiled next. "Well then how about we all try and get better?" Twilight encouraged.

But Rarity wouldn't take it. "Oh my beautiful hooves! Wasted on some sorry germy ball!" She whined, dramatically throwing her hooves in the air.

"N-Now I'm sure it's not that bad" Applejack comforted her friend.

But while this was all going on, RainbowDash was still half and half with the world right now. She was staring at Fluttershy, who's head was yet again buried in her hair on the gym floor.

What Fluttershy had said to Rainbow just an hour ago still shocked her to the bone. Fluttershy really wanted to quit Basketball? And did she really think of herself as a failure? But how?... And if this were really true, on how she was bad at Basketball, that only means that Lightning Dust and her friends will only make fun of the poor player even more... And Rainbow just couldn't stand standing up for Fluttershy any longer!

Yeah Dash felt bad from deep down inside, but she also just hated the fact that being around Fluttershy meant losing her dignity and pride.

Fluttershy suddenly caught onto Dash's gaze, through a small peekout hole in her hair and turned instantly away, not daring to meet the cyan Pegasus's gaze.

Fluttershy just couldn't take the looks that Rainbow and her friends normally gave to her. Sure Dash was nice enough to encourage her once she had told her, her secret on thinking Basketball wasn't her thing but Fluttershy still doubted the way RainbowDash ever looked at her...

What if she disappoints her friends? ALL OF HER FRIENDS? OH Fluttershy hated thinking darkly like this!

Suddenly though as Twilight and Applejack just kept going on and on about how touching a real ball isn't that bad to Rarity, FastBall then blew his whistle.

"Ok team. Next thing we're going to do is to run down and do a layup!" FastBall instructed, making Twilight and AJ quickly stop their talking while Pinkie stopped her happy, excited bouncing for once.

"Finally! I really wanna get to the hard stuff coach, so you know, we can show those other teams our stuff, right?" Rainbow quickly commented at this as soon as FastBall had given the order.

"Well sure I suppose but... we're not there yet" FastBall then corrected Dash in her impatience, causing the Pegasus to just lower her head.

Twilight then next spoke up. "So... a layup huh? I don't think I've accomplished doing a real successful layup before... I mean at tryouts I was pretty bad and now here I am about to-" Twilight began but Rarity just looked at her, making Twilight instantly shut up.

"hehe... sorry girls" Twilight blushed slightly.

"OK, so I want you all to take turns on doing a layup so I can examine your faults and wrongs... first up... Rarity" FastBall instructed, causing Rarity to give a horrid gasp of hers.

"Me first? Well for Celestia's sake why is it always poor little ol me who has to do things the right way and show the much more younger ponies what for" Rarity complained drastically.

Twilight and RainbowDash just stared at her with narrowed eyes though.

"Younger ponies?" Applejack also repeated offensively.

And FastBall? Well he didn't like it much either. "Uh look miss priss prants. We have a way with doing things around here and that is listening and DOING what you've been told to by the coach, which of course is me here!" FastBall snarled, with a flick of his shimmering sleek, wavy black tail.

Rarity only turned away, not letting her dignity fall just yet again.

"Well if you want YOUR little way to be done around here and NOT MINE than we'll just see about that" Rarity huffed, making FastBall just snort impatiently.

"Ok whatever! Go get your stupid pretty pink ball and do it your way but your going to do what I say, got that!?" FastBall suggested in an irritated yell, causing Rarity to instantly give a small smile. "Well.. hmm... I guess I could bend for this once" Rarity smiled sarcastically before she strutted off to get her ball.

Dash just sighed and sat back. "Oh come on coach, I could already be down and back by now!" Rainbow complained, making Applejack instantly turn to give Rainbow a sharp look in the eye. "Oh really!? Because I could already be down and back by my second go by now too!? Your not the only one here who's fast you know?" Applejack remarked, making Rainbow just give her the slightest smirk.

"Yeah? Wanna see about that?" She challenged, making the country pony get more worked up.

"OH I DO! BUT DO YOU?" AJ snarled, lashing her blonde tail angrily. Rainbow quickly stepped closer to Applejack's face threateningly.

Applejack only did the same, putting them head to head now.

They both glared madly into each other's eyes now and were about to go at it when Rarity finally came trotting back over. "here she is darlings!" Rarity held her pink basketball in the crook of her elbow.

This quickly ended the rising quarrel between the two, making them back off from each other, though they still wore their irritated glares.

"NOW GO DOWN AND DO A LAYUP" FastBall demanded, making Rarity just give a 'Humph' before darting down the court.

* * *

**Please review**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Fluttershy shyly watched as Rarity trotted meekly down the court, steadily at first but this time with a much faster pace than what she had given from back at try outs.

Fluttershy gulped.

_W-Will I ever be as good as that?... W-What I-if I trip and fall again?!_

Horrid ideas began running restlessly through Fluttershy's mind while Rarity finally managed to get down and back. "How was I? See, I told you I could do FAR better than with a normal average ball" Rarity began flapping her mouth as usual but FastBall just ignored her.

"Next is RainbowDash" FastBall randomly called out, handing Rainbow a ball.

Rainbow quickly gave Applejack a challenging smirk. "Ten Seconds Flat!" She boasted, making Applejack just roll her eyes. "You haven't even gone yet you loon!" Applejack snorted, making Rainbow quickly give a small unsure look before she turned to ready herself.

"GO!" FastBall demanded. Quicker than ever Rainbow took off, not daring to lose her dignity in front of AJ. She zipped up to the hoop, did a neat, clean layup and then zipped back.

"NICE. Very nice" FastBall congradulated before he then turned to Twilight. "Your next" He nudged the lavender alicorn forward, causing her to gulp slightly. "O-Ok" Twilight nodded as she then took the ball from the boasting Rainbow before she took off at her pace.

Next was PinkiePie, who was pretty fast for a spunky pony like her. Applejack of course was pretty fast as well and next... Well... It was none other than Fluttershy.

"Here, get going" FastBall demanded.

Fluttershy half shrieked once she was handed the ball. "D-Do I have too?" Fluttershy asked as politely as ever.

FastBall just looked at her sternly.

_O-Oh why me?... I'm just gonna fail_

Fluttershy easily steadily made her way to the positioning starting line. She gulped. She could already feel the tension rising. All eyes were directed onto her.

_Oh I H-Hope I don't fail..._

RainbowDash watched intently as Fluttershy stalled quite awkwardly.

Rainbow knew Fluttershy hated doing this, but if it was for her friends then Fluttershy would for surely do anything.

Everyone held their breath now, even PinkiePie, as Fluttershy then started down the track, but ever so slowly. After a small moment of silence Rarity then spoke.

"G-Good job Fluttershy!" Rarity suddenly then called out, along with a "You got it!" From AJ.

FastBall just facepalmed himself before he then blew his whistle. "Whatever, let's move on! If Fluttershy can't even do a simple dribble I don't know why she should even try a layup" FastBall sighed with irritation.

Twilight quickly gave Fluttershy a small look, which made her sheik with agony. Fluttershy felt so much shame begin to burn around her.

_T-This is what I was talking about!... I-I can't do anything!_

Rainbow felt a sudden sadness spike from within her as Fluttershy just trudged slowly back over to the group. She knew how Fluttershy felt, seeming she had told her just about an hour ago now...

"OK!" FastBall's sudden loud tone of voice brought RainbowDash back to reality though. "Next we'll try some scrimmaging" FastBall announced getting an excited squeal from PinkiePie.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" PinkiePie squealed with glee, while Twilight just looked a bit taken aback. "W-What? But we've hardly learned anything! None the less, did anything!" Twilight couldn't help but think of Fluttershy the most. This would really make the shy timid Pegasus uncomfortable.

RainbowDash though flew into the sky at this. "AWWW YEAH! Finally some real basketball action!" Rainbow cheered.

"Hey everyone hush up!" FastBall then demanded, trying to get everyone's attention. But everypony just kept chatting. "Oh what if my hair get's messed up?" Rarity was whining. "This'll be fun! Come on, let loose and stop worrying about that saggy ol thing anyways!" Applejack was remarking to Rarity.

Rarity gasped at this. "HOW DARE YOU! Saggy!?" She snarled.

"I cannot wait!" PinkiePie was bouncing up and down while Rainbow was nodding as she hovered like usual. "This is going to be so much fun! Totally awesome!" Rainbow agreed with the pink party pony.

Twilight and FastBall just looked on with growing agitation while Fluttershy just kept her head low in such distress.

FastBall then cleared his throat.

"Yeeeaaah... terribly sorry" Twilight muttered to him before he then yelled, "QUIET!"

This instantly got everypony's attention finally.

Even Fluttershy looked out from her long mane now, her eyes slightly wider than they usually were.

"OK! So This is what will happen! I will put three of you into two groups, which will be offense or defense" FastBall explained quickly, not wanting to lose everyone's attention yet again.

Rainbow and Pinkie both squealed excitedly. This is what RainbowDash had been waiting for! To prove herself!

And yet this is what Fluttershy really had not been hoping for, all at once...

"Ok... So... Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy will be defense while RainbowDash, Rarity, and PinkiePie will be offense" FastBall then decided quickly, naming the groups.

Rainbow's spirits quickly fell slightly. "W-What! But I wanted to be defense!" Rainbow complained, quickly looking at her new... quite awful team.

"Oh this'll be so much fun on offense anyways Rainbow!" Pinkie nudged her cyan friend who only gave a fake chuckle. Rainbow then pondered for a second.

_Well... PinkiePie is pretty fast... but RARITY!? Oh come on! Out of all of these ponies we had to get her!?_

Rainbow was for once hoping to get PinkiePie and Applejack... that would be a killer team!

"Oh I cannot wait!" Twilight then gave a small skip, becoming a bit excited herself.

"Me either!" Applejack agreed with a swift nod.

Rainbow just watched on quickly noticing... Fluttershy...

_At least we didn't get Fluttershy... _

Rainbow hated to admit it but she had to admit that Fluttershy was quite the bad player she thought she was...

"Come on girls let's show them what we've got!" Rarity yipped playfully, although she was suspiciously still holding her pink basketball...

This made Rainbow quickly zip in front of her face. "Um... Rare? I think we're using that ball" Rainbow pointed to a dribbling ball that bounced within Applejack's hoof at the moment making Rarity's jaw slightly drop.

"O-Oh nonsense! This ball is much better and-" Rarity began but then FastBall spoke up. "Let's get started! Applejack, toss the ball to me and we can get situated" FastBall then asked, getting a "Here ya are" from Applejack as she bounced the ball to the coach.

Rainbow just smirked at Rarity. "You were saying?..."

Rarity instantly went red with frustration. "OH! You lousy fool! Out of my way! I am about to play some real ball!" Rarity brushed past the taunting Pegasus and headed for a spot on the court.

"So... who should we guard?" Twilight then turned to her newly formed team.

"HURRY AND GET SITUATED!" FastBall then demanded, making Twilight urge even more. "Well?"

"Geez slow it Twilight... I think I'll take Rainbow" Applejack gave a small devious smirk at the name before she then continued. "You should probably take PinkiePie, and Fluttershy, you take Rarity" Applejack decided, making Fluttershy just give a small nod.

_W-Well R-Rarity isn't that hard for me..._

Fluttershy though still felt a cold sensation beginning to burn within her... Something was bound to go wrong...

* * *

**Please review**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

The ponies now had like thirty minutes left of practice, therefore they were hoping to get this small game in.

"START WHENEVER YOUR READY" FastBall called out from on the sidelines. "I will be watching your advantages and disadvantages to be sure of measures" FastBall then added, making everyone slightly tense a bit... Especially Fluttershy though.

Applejack trotted quirkily over to where RainbowDash was just waiting. With one glance Rainbow knew what was happening... AJ was guarding her...(Basketball talk: On defense) With this Rainbow gave her a quick disgusted look.

"What? You intimidated?" Applejack tilted her cowgirl hat forward slightly, causing Rainbow to burst into laughter. "S-Seriously? Afraid of you? Never" Dash spat back, making AJ just roll her green eyes.

Twilight then trotted up to PinkiePie who was bouncing up and down from her spot on the court. This quickly annoyed Twilight though somehow. "U-Um Pinkie, how about we take things a bit more serious now? We wanna get better right? This isn't a game" Twilight tried to quickly reason with PinkiePie, but she wouldn't listen.

"Well duh Twilight! The games don't start until like... next week or so!" PinkiePie came up with a random guess for when the basketball games really did start.

Twilight then gave a frustrated growl. "No! Not that kind of game! Like a playful game! The way your taking this training!" Twilight explained, making Pinkie just tip her head in confusion.

"UGH!" Twilight whined...

Next Fluttershy ever so slowly came tip toeing up to Rarity, who was fluffing her long midnight purple curls out. Rarity quickly noticed Fluttershy's shyness though. "Um darling your going to have to stand up to this whole basketball thing... I mean just look at the way your dragging your lovely mane!" Rarity fussed and pointed out quickly as Fluttershy lowered her eyes to get a glimpse of her trailing pink mane.

"O-Oh b-b-but I... I-" Fluttershy quietly trailed off as Coach FastBall suddenly blew his whistle to start the scrimmage.

Instantly a ball was bounced into Rarity's hooves.

She quickly flipped out. "Oh my! eww! gross! This isn't my pink ball, therefore it must have some nasty germs on it from the previous pony who used it last! AUUGGH!" Rarity whined, flailing the ball into the air.

RainbowDash quickly began moving as she heard Rarity's wail. "Rarity! Don't just drop the ball!" Rainbow tried to fly and catch the ball but Applejack suddenly blocked her way, therefore leaving the ball to just fall to the gym floor.

FastBall instantly blew his whistle. "What do you call that Rarity!?" FastBall snarled as he picked up the ball and this time threw it to PinkiePie.

"Restart!" FastBall growled.

Rainbow's ears drooped at this as she began to feel anger bubble up from inside of her.

_You gotta be kidding me, Rarity!_

Applejack quickly caught sight of Dash's growing agitation and gave a smirk. "Was that ten seconds flat? Or was that ten seconds wasted?... I-I'm confused" Applejack taunted with a sassy tone, making Rainbow quickly grow even more annoyed.

"Oh shut up AJ!" Dash spat through gritted teeth. She then flew back to where she had started.

PinkiePie now had the ball, and as soon as FastBall blew the whistle again, she started dribbling it happily. "Whee! This is fun, eh Twilight?" Pinkie began bounding around the court while Twilight tried to desperately keep up with her.

A frustrated look from Twilight was the only thing that answered Pinkie though.

RainbowDash quickly acted at this point and began sprinting towards the center of the court, followed closely by a defending Applejack.

"Oh no you don't!" AJ muttered as she placed her two front-hooves in front of Rainbow's path.

Dash quickly struggled away from Applejack's block and then galloped towards PinkiePie.

Pinkie was still just bouncing away with the ball in all random directions as Twilight followed behind at a rather drastic paste. "S-Slow down Pinkie!" Twilight then yelled down the court.

"No way! You gotta catch up silly!" PinkiePie only gleefully remarked back as she continued her bounding.

Rainbowdash then found this opportunity and went for it. She zipped forward, before Applejack could even reach her. "Pinkie! Over here!" RainbowDash yelled quickly, instantly making Applejack charge for her.

"Okie-Dokie-Lokie!" Pinkie yipped before she bounce-passed the ball.

Applejack desperately dove for the ball, trying to block it from Rainbow, but Pinkie's bounce was too fast, and with that Dash swiftly caught it.

"Yes!" Dash yipped before she then turned to head for the basket.

"Good, Good!" FastBall's voice sounded from on the sidelines.

_No! Not Good!_

Applejack couldn't help but let her challenging side get flipped on now. She normally never let this happen, but whenever it did flip on, it got hideous.

She instantly flashed in front of the now hovering RainbowDash as she dribbled the ball professionally. With this, RainbowDash slightly eased backwards accidently planting herself on the gym floor now.

_Dang it!_

Anger and frustration hurled itself into Rainbow's attitude instantly.

Applejack only grinned at her successfulness. "Bet ya didn't see that comin'" Applejack taunted as sweat now began to run from her orange brow now. RainbowDash only clenched her teeth now in her frustration.

Rainbow then looked around to see who was open, seeming she had planted herself.

PinkiePie was for once now being blocked by Twilight who had obviously had enough with her little games. Rarity though was wide open, seeming Fluttershy wasn't even trying to attempt to shield Rarity.

"Rarity! Heads up!" Rainbow then yelled before chest-passing the ball to the white unicorn.

Rarity quickly jerked her head up in sudden attention. She then though deliberately stepped back from the ball's pass.

"RainbowDash! HOW DARE YOU! I do NOT wish to participate in touching that vile filthy ball, seeming it is bound to have germs from the past pony of which touched it. Therefore I am not going to get involved into touching such a nasty substance..." Rarity explained, holding her head high. And no sooner did she say this, the ball instantly hit the floor and rolled off to the sidelines...

At this, RainbowDash almost felt ready to explode in rage. "W-What!? Y-Your nothing but a sorry lowdown piece of-!?" RainbowDash began but FastBall suddenly cut in.

"Rarity shut up with your stupid drama and get back to your starting position. All of you. And NEXT TIME Rarity, you WILL touch that filthy ball, like it or not" FastBall demanded angrily, making Rarity just shrug while Rainbow just facepalmed herself.

"Ahem... You were saying?" Applejack then urged Rainbow onwards, seeing this as a way just to annoy her more. Dash quickly just turned away from the taunting earth pony.

_W-Why couldn't Rarity just have caught it!... A-And why did Applejack had to stop me from scoring!..._

RainbowDash felt restless now to get back at Applejack, but unfortunately she was still on offense...

"Wow... I-I've never seen you this mad, Dash... M-Maybe I should guard somepony else, seeming I'm too good for you" Applejack then gave Rainbow a nudge, seeming that point had gone to them...

Rainbow glared daggers at her so called 'friend' before she just strutted back to her starting position. "Go ahead... If your too scared to take me on, I understand" Rainbow only responded making Applejack just chuckle at her sudden annoyance.

FastBall finally though blew the whistle suddenly as everypony waited for the ball.

The ball was then passed to PinkiePie again to start it off. PinkiePie gave a small bounce before she instantly passed the ball to Rarity though.

Rarity flinched before catching the basketball with the very tips of her hooves. "E-Eww! S-Somepony get open to I can get this thing off of me!" Rarity whined.

RainbowDash instantly responded to this and zipped forwards, and away from Applejack.

Applejack only sped after her though. And yet while she ran, she couldn't help but wonder why Rarity was so easy to always get too?... FLUTTERSHY!

_What the hay is Fluttershy doing over there!? _

Irritation began building on Applejack as she tracked RainbowDash down. RainbowDash instantly found a way into Rarity's passing zone, therefore catching a swift bounce-pass from the unicorn.

Applejack instantly burned with anger at this and then turned to check on where and exactly what the little yellow Pegasus was doing.

Applejack quickly spotted Fluttershy, crouching from behind Rarity, who was paying no attention to the game herself and was just focusing on her hair.

Applejack cleared her throat quickly. "F-Fluttershy! Hey! W-What in tarnation are ya doin' over here? You DO know that we're scrimmaging right now right? And that your supposed to be guarding Rarity from open passes!" Applejack remarked thoroughly making Fluttershy just peek out from amongst her long pink mane as usual. "W-Well... Y-Y-Yes I-I know what we're doing... I-It's just that I don't think... R-Rarity wants me to block her o-out..." Fluttershy answered pitifully making Applejack just raise one eyebrow.

"W-What? No pony on offense wants to be blocked out! But ya just gotta do it!" Applejack retorted before she then turned around to find RainbowDash again and to block her from...

Sudden yips rang up from Rarity and PinkiePie as Applejack turned to see that RainbowDash had already gone off and scored...

Agitation bit Applejack harder now and yet there was still some kind of room for sympathy for her friend Fluttershy all at once as well... Applejack knew that Fluttershy hated doing these things...

_...W-Well Fluttershy has to learn to buck up a bit... Just like Twilight and Coach FastBall say... Like it or not._

* * *

**Review please. Always greatful **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

Fluttershy already felt shame beginning to creep up within her... But she just couldn't bring herself to do all of this that FastBall and all of her friends were asking from her...

She watched from behind her mane as the ball was then tossed to RainbowDash again.

_O-Oh they all look so cool out there... A-And me?_

She watched intently as RainbowDash tossed the ball to PinkiePie, who then passed it back to Dash, confusing both Applejack and Twilight all at once.

_I-I... I wish... I could play like that..._

Suddenly though Rarity shifted from in front of her, making her then seenable to Coach FastBall.

Fluttershy quickly felt fear tug at her from her inside. What if Coach FastBall saw her like this!?

She quickly stood up yet did not uncover her face from behind her mane. Rarity noticed her at this. "Oh darling, there you are!... L-Look no offense but I really think you should-" Rarity began but Fluttershy just stopped her in her words and finished them. "-get into the game? I-I know..." Fluttershy admitted, lowering her head.

Rarity only gave an uneasy smile at her sudden wrongness. "I-I didn't exactly mean that sweetie... I-I didn't wanna... Uh..." Rarity though just couldn't find the words.

Fluttershy just nodded her head in an amiss understanding.

"U-Uh... Yeah" Rarity nodded with a weak smile.

Fluttershy then turned her attention back to the game...

_Looks like Twilight and Applejack don't really need me out there... they're doing just fine_

Twilight was now shielding PinkiePie from getting to a desperate RainbowDash.

"Pinkie get open!" Dash complained from a cornered position.

"I-I'm trying! But Twilight's just being a big meanie!" PinkiePie shouted back down the court from where she stood.

"Ya ain't going anywhere" Applejack smirked into Rainbow's challenging face as she cornered the Pegasus.

Rainbow just stared into Applejack's devious eyes and ignored her. "P-Pinkie!" Rainbow pleaded. "GET OPEN!" She demanded as she held the ball tightly underneath her wing on the opposite side of her body from Applejack.

"I-I can't!" PinkiePie finally though then bursted through Twilight's blocking hooves and charged down the court.

Twilight darted after her, her purple and pink-streaked mane flying.

Fluttershy watched breathlessly at this, as did Rarity...

"W-Well!... I-I've never seen such teamwork! On offense or defense!" Rarity suddenly then commented from her shocked awe-inspired gaze.

"M-Me neither..." Fluttershy replied honestly.

PinkiePie reared quickly as she reached a passing zone for RainbowDash.

"Over here!" Pinkie finally urged, making Rainbow quickly twist from on her planted hoof. She then bounce-passed it swiftly to the pink earth pony who was too busy trying to catch the ball, that she didn't even take a second to even notice Twilight, who then suddenly leaped and blocked the pass, making it square.

Twilight landed with a thud on the gym floor as she caught the passing oncoming ball, panting madly.

Dash though quickly shot up into the air at this. "Whoa! That was... Amazing Twi!" Rainbow squealed, followed by an "Oh my gosh!" from PinkiePie as well.

"Darn right you are! That was one neat shield!" Applejack also added, throwing her hooves into the air before bringing them back down gleefully.

Twilight wearily got to her hooves. "Y-Yeah... I-I guess so" Twilight breathed.

Suddenly though RainbowDash caught sight of Rarity and Fluttershy, who were just sitting on the sidelines watching.

Rainbow let her gaze fall to the ground at this... She had totally forgotten that they were even in on this thing!

"Nice! Nice!" Suddenly though Coach FastBall came trotting up to the sweaty and yet amazing four who had just played like they were actually in a real game!

"You four were amazing! I can hardly believe what-" FastBall began while Rarity and Fluttershy just sulked from the sidelines.

"I-I... I was a little too busy to realize that RainbowDash needed me... or how PinkiePie wasn't the only was that had to get open..." Rarity suddenly remarked, quite stunned at her idiotic actions that she had just preformed.

"Y-Yeah..." Fluttershy agreed slowly.

_I-Is Rarity finally feeling what I feel?... M-Maybe I'm not alone in thinking that I shouldn't be on the team!... Maybe I just-_

Fluttershy's thoughts were interrupted though as Rarity then gave a dramatic sigh though. "Well! Of course if I HAD acted, I would have messed up my lovely curls, of which I have worked ever so hard on... So... I'm quite pleased at what I have just seen, and due to the fact that I didn't join, I am also well pleased" Rarity then complicatedly explained her prissy explanation on how she was proud of her 'sitting-out'.

Fluttershy's mouth just hung slightly agape to this.

"...B-But what about RainbowDash?... A-And PinkiePie? T-They needed you and you did nothing... A-And-" Fluttershy was beginning to stammer now as sadness pricked at her yet again for being alone at thinking she was a failure.

"Oh dearie, look at them. They managed to get three more hoops without me... I-If you had been watching before that awesome block was pulled off by Twilight before time, you would have seen" Rarity then pointed out before she then began strutting over to where her friends were being complimented on by FastBall himself.

"Why that's mighty fine of you to think that of us, but we really just used our normal skills I guess to play... That's all" Applejack was replying to FastBall as soon as Rarity came into earshot.

RainbowDash quickly noticed her and narrowed her eyes. "Oh hey, are you one of my fans? Because you sure were just watching away as me and PinkiePie tried to defend for ourselves out there on the court!" Rainbow mocked sarcastically as she zipped up into Rarity's face.

"Oh darling, I'm not a fan of anyone but myself of course... T-That is if you include Hoity Toity, TrenderHoof, Sapphire Shores, and maybe Photo Finish then yes, call me a fan but other than that... No, I am nopony's fan" Rarity remarked dramatically back to the mocking Rainbow.

The rest of the ponies were now though starting to notice Rarity's appearance as well as FastBall.

Everyone just stared at her...

"Uh... Something wrong?" Rarity then asked.

RainbowDash facepalmed herself while Applejack rolled her eyes. Twilight gave a small frustrated snort and Pinkie?... Well she just began bouncing up and down like usual.

"Ahem... Where were you and Fluttershy when this amazing scrimmage was happening?" Coach FastBall's demanding voice cracked Rarity's ears as she turned to face him.

She gulped, for once feeling her dignity flow from her ever so again. "I-I... W-We... Well..." Rarity didn't know how to put it.

Twilight on the other hoof could easily tell whether a friend of hers was struggling badly and this was one of those times...

_I... I'd hate to admit it to Rarity but FastBall has a point... Me, and Applejack were busting our butts out there just to try and stop RainbowDash from shooting every now and then... And on top of that, PinkiePie was quite the opponent for me... So I don't know why she and Fluttershy had to just completely ignore FastBall's orders about scrimmaging and just shrug them off..._

But deep down within Twilight, she also could feel sympathy begin to build for the two of her friends...

_W-Well... I guess this IS the first night of practice... Maybe I could try and help them out..._

"WHAT WERE YOU AND FLUTTERSHY DOING!? ANSWER ME!" FastBall demanded, making Rarity just slink back in an uneasy horrifying feeling. "Uh... I... Um" Rarity closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to face FastBall's wrath when suddenly Twilight spoke up.

"FastBall... Um... I think she was trying to encourage Fluttershy from over on the sidelines and to help her build up some more confidence in playing... Maybe Rarity did the right thing, seeming Fluttershy might have pulled an error and she could have messed the scrimmage up while we were playing... Therefore I think Rarity was trying to get Fluttershy to just simply watch a scrimmage to see how it's done, before she actually considered joining" Twilight explained hastily, making RainbowDash and Rarity instantly turn both of their attentions onto her.

"What!? You kidding me Twilight?" Rainbow fussed, but on the other hoof, Rarity was staring ever-so greatfully into her friend's eyes.

"W-Why yes that's exactly what I was trying to do actually" Rarity then confirmed to the helpful fib, making Rainbow just cross her hooves and raise her eyebrows.

Applejack just stared on in silence, seeing where this was going.

FastBall pondered a second, as he took a step back from Rarity's face.

"Hmm... Well... I guess so" He muttered, making Rarity give an eager nod.

But... while this was going on, Fluttershy had heard every single word and detail that Twilight had said about her...

_I-I-I'm really this bad... T-That even Twilight notices?..._

* * *

**Please Review. Appreciated VERY greatly.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

After FastBall was finished getting an unexcused explanation from Twilight about Rarity and Fluttershy's absence in the scrimmage, the first night of practice was now coming to an end thankfully.

"I think you all have truly improved greatly... even if some ponies didn't bother to even play and join in on the lessons" FastBall stubbornly began speaking after the long reasoning.

Twilight nodded and turned to give her friends all a huge smile. She was getting to become very pleased with their new skills and results.

Well, almost everyone was beginning to feel pleased... Fluttershy on the other hoof was feeling downright humiliated of herself.

_How can I p-possibly become better when all I'm doing is becoming worst?..._

Rarity then spoke up suddenly next. "S-So practice is over?" She asked, tilting her head slightly, causing her luxurious curls to fall slowly over her face.

"Yes, can you believe it's finally over with?" FastBall used some kind of exhausted tone... which maybe he meant for sarcasm?

"Actually we can... We know we've trained hard and... I guess we're all well pleased with ourselves, right girls?" Twilight cheered with a gleeful look.

"You bet! Was Applejack's answer first.

"Totally!" Came Dash's.

"Absolutely positively extremely fun!" Pinkie then yelled, making everyone give her a look for a moment. Fluttershy however didn't even bother to raise her head in agreement... she was too embarrassed of her own skills.

Twilight then though turned her attention back to FastBall.

"S-So FastBall... whens the next practice, and when do we actually start playing the real games?" Twilight then asked quite eagerly.

FastBall pondered for two split seconds before replying. "But of course you have another practice tomorrow night and the first real game starts this very weekend... which is... the day after tomorrow " FastBall admitted making everyone quickly tense up.

"W-What!? W-Wait a second! We only get two nights of practice until a real game!? What kind of team are you running?" RainbowDash quickly was the first to explode at this.

She just couldn't bare the thought of maybe having to face Lightning Dust and BeautyBrass within two days! That wasn't enough time for her...

Next Fluttershy couldn't even help but agree with Rainbow for once. "U-U-Um... I-If it's not t-too much to say... I-I have to agree with Rainbow here... I-I hardly know how to dribble" Fluttershy admitted, lowering her head in shame.

"And I for one am not ready to get out there and get my hooves all dirty yet! It just wouldn't be right... especially seeming I've got an order of a dozen fabulous dresses due that weekend.. OH! I'll be up all night, having to get them done and ready!" Rarity whined as well.

"Yes and I have gotta do my chores and harvest the apples on the here farm this weekend! Can't you just reschedule the game?" Applejack also added, with a swift stomp of her hoof.

FastBall took a step back from this sudden erosion. "W-Well I'm the not one who keeps track and decides all of this... It's actually the Mayor's task of keeping every sporting schedule straight... Don't look at me" FastBall explained quickly, defending himself.

Rarity though just kept on going with her dramatic whining. "Oh and how I've got to get the sewing done along with the stitching and perfect detail! I must have this upcoming weekend off! Please!" Rarity then decided, making everyone slow down in their own troubles due to her sudden statement.

"W-What!? No! Just cause you ponies have a few tasks at home doesn't mean you can all skip the upcoming game this weekend! I CHOSE YOU ALL CAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WOULD PUT EFFORT INTO THIS!" FastBall started to raise his voice, making Rarity just flatten her ears while Applejack and RainbowDash just gave uncertain looks at each other. PinkiePie had a small screwed up face to this sudden game news too while Fluttershy just felt like she was about to cry...

Everything was going wrong again, Twilight could tell.

_T-This isn't what we've asked for... but we DID sign up for this..._

Twilight then just took a deep breath. "W-Well I'll for one, be there FastBall... You can count on that" Twilight turned to give her friends a challenging glare.

Rainbow only rolled her eyes to this. "Well DUH I'll be there too! I'm just saying, this isn't really all that fair! I mean, two nights of practice is not going to get some of us anywhere" Rainbow pointed out, thinking back to what Fluttershy had told her at the beginning of practice...

Applejack suddenly decided to use some of Rainbow's words against her suddenly. "Wow your right, Dashie, Looks like you need more time, seeming your too scared to play a game in just two days!" Applejack uniquely thought of a taunting nickname just for Rainbow as she mocked her with her own statement.

Dash quickly stared the country pony in the eye. "Hey! I'm not scared! I'm talking about FLUTTERSHY!" Rainbow spat, instantly realizing that she had taken it a little too far, but she didn't care... She hated when Applejack started acting like this. IT just seemed to always annoy her to the bone.

Fluttershy though instantly bursted into tears at this. "H-H-H-How Could you!" Fluttershy wailed, causing everypony's gaze to just linger on RainbowDash now.

Dash quickly stopped her usual hovering and landed softly on the gym floor, wincing back a few paces. "I-I... I didn't mean it like that Fluttershy... Honest" Rainbow lowered her voice softly.

"Oh but you did!" Rarity suddenly shoved her way to the front of the watching team, her eyes ablaze from the insult to her friend.

"How dare you! Sure we all know that Fluttershy makes a few mistakes here and there, but you just didn't have to go and say it like that!" Rarity roared, stepping closer to Rainbow with every word.

Rainbow shrunk back a bit at Rarity's sharp tone now, a slight red hue beginning to appear on her face now from her embarrassment.

"W-Well... It's not like it was my fault! AJ started it!" Rainbow pointed out next, turning the spotlight onto Applejack now. Applejack only tiled her hat forward and raised her eyebrows. "Oh really? I wasn't the one who needed more time!" Applejack instinctively defended herself, making Rainbow just growl at her. "YOU NEEDED SOME TIME TOO YA KNOW!? FOR YOUR DUMB CHORES ON THE FARM!" Rainbow spat back.

Applejack now began to clench her own teeth now at this. "Now wait just a barreltossing second!"

"QUIET!" FastBall suddenly blew his whistle at the arguing quarrel that was taking place now.

"YOU ALL NEED TO REALLY WORK THESE THINGS OUT! IT'S ALWAYS LIKE YOUR FIGHTING!" FastBall remarked as everyone slowly stopped the fighting. Rainbow though could still feel her hatred for the orange earth pony lingering from inside of her, as did AJ for Dash.

Rarity was just glaring at Rainbow too before she then turned to comfort Fluttershy, who was now curled up into a sobbing ball from on the floor.

"Humph!" Applejack just crossed her hooves, agitatedly. She had, had enough with RainbowDash's cockiness for one day now!

_Yeah we fight alot, but that's only because she starts it!..._

But for a second Applejack had to rethink that thought on a count that this time she had obviously started the quarrel with her taunting remark at the Pegasus.

_W-Well... I... Um..._

Applejack just shook the troubling thought from her head though.

_Oh who cares about starting it! It's how the quarrel ends!_

"Well I think we all can see that we've had a rough night for tonight..." Twilight was intently staring at Rainbow as she spoke, with narrowed eyes.

"But... Yes, for one, your right FastBall... I'll see what I can do with my friends and their arguing" Twilight promised, making FastBall just give a simple nod before he trotting off angrily.

Twilight then snorted and then jerked her head around to face the sulking cyan pegasus now. "What were you thinking!? I mean, for once FastBall seemed to be complimenting us on our skills and you just HAD to go and blow it like that!?" Twilight couldn't help it. Her rage and fury had gotten the best of her now, and she was beginning to lose it.

Dash winced at her friend's sudden tone. "L-Look it was AJ's fault! She-" Rainbow began to defend herself but Twilight just wouldn't have it. "Oh AJ did it huh? When will it ever be PinkiePie's fault or Rarity's for once?... Yeah that's what I thought. It's always Applejack" Twilight finished with a nod and then turned to head for the doors.

PinkiePie had a horror stricken face now, as she too turned to follow Twilight.

Applejack just stared at the now enraged pegasus now.

_I can tell this upcoming game is going to be real fun..._

Applejack just smirked before she began trotting for the doors too. RainbowDash quickly nudged into a small trot from beside her as well. "Oh and Hey, do me a favor and NEVER call me 'Dashie' ever again? Got it?" Rainbow spoke darkly while she trotted by, not even bothering to glance over at Applejack while doing so.

Applejack just gave a weak smirk though.

_Sure thing... Dashie_

* * *

**Please review, Fav, or follow. Whichever will be appreciated greatly.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

* * *

RainbowDash couldn't believe what had happened back there! Applejack, like the jerk she was, was just trying to irritate her, and well... It pretty much worked out!

Annoyance at being embarrassed back at that practice began to swirl through Rainbow's emotions and for a second she started to feel really humiliated... But she then shook the feelings away as she followed her friends into a Walmare store (or as we call it, Walmart).

_Great! We'll be here all night!_

It was about twelve at night now, and Rarity just HAD to stop by some kind of store to pick up some more new utensils for her dresses that she would be working on all weekend.

"I-I still can't believe R-RainbowDash said that..." Fluttershy was now speaking to Rarity as they entered the store. "Oh now, Darling, I'm sure it wasn't all so meaningful..." Rarity was hardly paying attention to Fluttershy though as she used her unicorn magic to pick up a basket to carry her things in.

Fluttershy just drooped her ears and wings. Why wouldn't anybody listen to her when she tried to explain that she really deep down inside didn't wanna play basketball?

"Ok, so I'm going to head over to Colgate isle... Y-You know where the toothpaste and such are?" Twilight suddenly remarked as she too picked up a basket with her unicorn magic.

RainbowDash just sighed. "...O-Oh why do we have to be here anyways? Can't Rarity just shop here alone? I mean it's midnight!" Dash huffed at Twilight, crossing her hooves.

There were huge LED lights that hung from the ceiling of the Walmare (Walmart) and there were so many isles to go down... And yet as Rainbow looked on, there wasn't very many ponies shopping here at this time of night.

_What a surprise..._

"Yes, I know RainbowDash, but if Rarity wanted to stop here, I mean, why not? It'll only take two seconds... Besides, you might find something that you like perhaps" Twilight then remarked to the very stubborn pegasus.

Dash quickly brightened at this. "...Well, I GUESS I could go check out the video game section..." Rainbow tried to hide her sudden excitement at the thought she might could find a new cool game possibly!

"Ok then! Good luck!" Twilight smiled before she happily trotted off.

Rainbow then zipped off towards the electronic section.

PinkiePie just hurried to the party isle, where there was everything she needed. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" She squealed as she bounced down the isle, not even caring while a small filly looked on at her as she went.

* * *

"A-And so I told her that I... I-I..." Fluttershy was trying to finish her story on how she had come to tell RainbowDash her secret about not wanting to play basketball back at practice. Rarity though just continued looking at the jewelry that was on sale at the moment. "Mmhmm... Oh I hear you darling" Rarity nodded, not taking her eyes off of the jewelry though.

_No... she doesn't hear me... Nopony will ever hear me..._

Fluttershy just turned her head away in sadness again... What was she to do? She couldn't go on like this, and yet she didn't want to disappoint her friends all at once...

Meanwhile, RainbowDash was having a pretty hard time picking out a game that she wanted. "...N-No?... M-Maybe... UGH!... I can't choose!" Rainbow fussed, talking to herself morelike.

Suddenly though a distinctive and familiar voice answered her though. "How bout this one?"

Rainbow jerked her head wildly to the right to see Applejack standing there, with her hat tilted slightly with so called 'style'.

Rainbow could already tell that something was bound to happen between them.

"...A-AJ? Did you follow me here?" Dash then suddenly asked with a dull tone.

Applejack shrugged. "I don't know. You tell me"

Dash quickly facepalmed herself before giving her a glare. "I don't know! D-Did ya?"

Applejack just smiled. She HAD completely followed the cyan pegasus to the electronic isle, just for this purpose. She really enjoyed seeing RainbowDash get frustrated, even over the littlest things.

"Look Dashie, I just came here because-" Applejack was though dead stopped in her words by the pegasus. "I SAID Don't call me DASHIE! It sounds lame and uncool!" Rainbow complained, knowing now why Applejack really had came here.

Applejack just rolled her eyes sarcastically, knowing she had totally meant to call her that in the first place. "Well I just-" Applejack began again but couldn't finish as usual. "You know what? I don't feel like talking to you right now" RainbowDash suddenly decided before she took off into the big store within the sky.

_What the hay was that about!?_

RainbowDash couldn't help but feel a bit bothered already with what the orange earth pony had already begun to say to her.

"W-Why does she have to be so... so... SO ANNOYING" Rainbow scoffed to herself as she flew by each isle at a good amount of speed.

_Why couldn't she have acted like she did back at tryouts? She was for once very helpful when I had stuck up for Fluttershy... _

At the word Tryouts, Rainbow instantly began to drift onto Lightning Dust and Beatybrass yet again.

_W-Why do they gotta be playing basketball as well? I mean... It's not like I'm scared to face them or anything.. it's just quite humiliating to think that they might get the chance to tease me again like they did back at Fluttershy's party that Pinkie had thrown..._

* * *

"Let's see... I guess that'll do it" Twilight nodded as she purchased her last bag of items she had picked up from within the store's isles. Everypony else was ready to go as well... Strangely though RainbowDash and both Applejack didn't get anything... And Rainbow had seemed totally excited about getting a new game... but maybe not.

"Ok girls, thanks ever so much for letting me stop by and pick up a few things I needed" Rarity was running her dramatic mouth as usual as everypony was walking out the big sensor doors.

"Hey it was no problem" Twilight spoke around a mouthful of bags that hung from her jaws.

"You know I still cannot believe that the first game is this weekend" Suddenly Applejack remarked, bringing back the horrible news they had discovered from FastBall just a few hours ago.

"Yeah me neither!" Rainbow agreed forcefully.

"I kinda can! I mean, I think we're ready!" PinkiePie suddenly then admitted getting a few murmurs from Twilight, Rarity and the others.

"H-How can you possibly say we're ready darling?" Rarity asked as the ponies began walking down the small ponyville streets towards their homes.

"Well... I mean the way we scrimmaged today. That was amazing for one thing!" Pinkie pointed out making Rainbow raise her eyebrows slightly at her point.

"Well I guess so" Twilight nodded.

"B-B-But Me and R-Rarity did nothing..." Fluttershy suddenly put in, making Rainbow just stare at her from her hovering point within the night sky. A small hint of humiliation found it's way to Rainbow's emotions at that second for spilling Fluttershy's disadvantage aloud back at practice again.

Applejack then answered this though. "Well sugarcube, I honestly don't know why you or Rarity didn't join the scrimmage either but..." Applejack just trailed off, thinking she was going a bit too far now.

"No, No your right. I-I should h-have joined" Fluttershy admitted, her ears flattening.

"And what's your excuse, Rarity?" Dash then urged the unicorn with a taunting tone. Rarity took no offense to this though. "Well I for one did not care to join such a forceful little game... Besides, it would have messed up my curls" Rarity answered from within her dignity.

Rainbow just rolled her eyes in reply.

"...Well other than that, we have to try and get better by this weekend. Tonight will really be our last chance to do so anyways" Twilight reminded them all as they continued their walk.

"Yeah..."

"mmhmm"

"totally"

"And I think we should start by meeting back at practice quite early tomorrow night" Twilight decided...

* * *

**Reviews would really encourage more stories from me**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

The next night at practice came upon the group of friends pretty fast. But just like Twilight had suggested, everypony had showed up pretty early that night, even before the sun had gotten the chance to finish setting.

"We're here, Coach FastBall!" Twilight announced as everyone pushed through the big doors that led into the gym.

Everypony was ready to go for another round of training. Of course, Fluttershy was a bit reluctant but... nopony seemed to notice.

"Well, Well, Well! Arriving quite early for once, are we now?" FastBall instantly greeted them as he trotted towards them from a few bleachers and stands.

"Yes actually. We wanted all the time of training we could get for tonight" Twilight explained, getting some nods from the rest.

FastBall, like usual had his slick black mane looking windswept again, while he wore his usual jet-black coat and whistle.

"So, are we going to do anything hard today? Because I really wanna try some harder techniques" RainbowDash suddenly asked, making FastBall just give a small look at her. "Well you'll have to wait and see. But I do have alot planned for tonight. So anyways I want everypony to go grab a ball from the rack as usual and start the normal routine of dribbling. Just try dribbling in place... Simple, and easy" Coach FastBall demanded, making everypony gallop for the rack of balls.

Instantly though Rarity lifted her head reluctantly into the air. "Oh but those balls... t-they've been previously touched by some other pony!" Rarity whined, getting a small look from both FastBall and Applejack.

"Now you ain't gonna be doin' this again, are ya?" Applejack questioned, raising on eyebrow at the prissy unicorn.

"Why of course not! I'm... j-just saying. I mean, It would make we feel SO much better if I could use my glamorous pink ball again" Rarity dramatically pleaded, making FastBall just roll his eyes. "Fine. I don't care. But you better dribble like your life depends on it, GOT ME?" FastBall snorted before he trotted over to where the others were already lined up at.

He blew his whistle and with that, started the dribble drill.

Fluttershy instantly lost the ball, making her feel like her same shameful self as last night. RainbowDash, PinkiePie, and Applejack were probably the best dribblers on the team, while Twilight was trying ever so hard to keep pace with them.

Rarity just bobbed her pink ball ever so delicately like usual, making FastBall just facepalm himself.

"Ok ok! Next drill. I want you all to get into a defensive position. Ready? GO!" FastBall blew his whistle, which made everypony move like fire.

RainbowDash and Applejack instantly got into good positions while PinkiePie kinda did a sloppier position to theirs. Twilight just stood there, not really knowing how or what to do, though she did have a small idea, seeming she had scrimmaged yesterday.

Rarity just began studying her hooves and mane while Fluttershy just trembled on the spotlight.

FastBall rolled his eyes. "Like this" He then stood lowely on his two back hooves and held his other front hooves out in front of him, defensively.

"Look if you all aren't going to take this anymore serious than you do talking and gossiping, than I suggest you leave the building right now! THIS IS PATHETIC!" FastBall then roared as he watched the lazy, bewildered team.

"No, no! We're sorry FastBall! W-We really are!" Twilight instantly began defending her friends, making FastBall just prick his ears at what she had to say.

She gulped. "I-I mean, sure we're not the best team in the world but, none of us has even really picked up a real basketball before..." Twilight began to explain, basically meaning to point out Rarity and Fluttershy, what with Rarity's stupid pink ball and drama and Fluttershy's shyness, there was no way them two would know what to do at stages like this.

"Yeah, we only have two nights of training, what do you call that?" Applejack then snorted.

"Oh I know! I know!" PinkiePie began to suddenly hobble up and down, flinging a hoof into the air like she was back at filly-school or something.

Applejack just had this meek, tainty look for Pinkie in reply.

"Yes?" Applejack then reluctantly asked her.

"I think it's called two nights of training!" Pinkie yelped as she blew some confetti out from her hooves suddenly.

Applejack just facepalmed herself.

"...Well you get our point, don't you?" Twilight then made sure that FastBall had completely understood the whole object to Pinkie's sudden stupid actions.

FastBall took a silent moment for himself before he nodded slowly. He sighed. "Look I know this is alot of pressure for all of you, but I just really need you call to focus please! No more drama, quarrels, gossip, and... fighting" FastBall named alot of things dealing with arguing and fighting mainly, seeming he hated those two things the most.

"Got it" Twilight agreed, when suddenly Rarity dropped her shimmering pink ball off to the sidelines, making her give a sudden wail of distress.

RainbowDash quickly flew over to her. "What's wrong Rare?" Dash asked, quite bored and yet confused.

FastBall and Twilight just looked on.

"I... I lost my pink ball to the filthy sidelines!" Rarity complained, pointing a white hoof to her luxurious pink ball that had now completely stopped against the wall of the gym.

Rainbow shrugged. "So? Go pick it up?"

"NO! I cannot! For it has rolled onto such profane boundaries! Do you know what goes on at the sidelines!? There are germs everywhere! And I cannot simply pick up my ball now without catching a horrible disease!" Rarity whined, explaining through muffled sobs.

Rainbow just glared at her intently. "WHAT!? If anything, your more bound to get some germs from within the center of the court, seeming that's where every pony trains and practices! Not the stupid sidelines!" RainbowDash explained, making Rarity give her a horrified look.

"Whhaaat!?"

"ALRIGHT! ENOUGH!" FastBall suddenly stomped his hoof on the gym floor, causing a loud echo. "Shut up with this drama and go get your flippin' ball!" FastBall demanded, casting a wary look at Twilight.

"Some reassurance..." FastBall muttered to the downlookin' purple alicorn at this. He then strutted off to call out more demands and drills, leaving a furious Twilight just to stand in her own wake.

* * *

**Please Review.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

* * *

Twilight could not believe the way her friends were yet again acting. This was so vile and humiliating that Twilight just could hardly stand on her own hooves. She hated disappointing Coach FastBall, just like she hated to disappoint Princess Celestia or any other important pony to her.

She sighed before she then turned back to where her own ball was now. PinkiePie and Applejack had finally stopped the oncoming argument while RainbowDash and Rarity had gone back to their own positions. Obviously Rarity had gone to get her ball but she didn't like it one bit.

"Ok! Now I want to try something new. Get with a partner and try our your defense skills. I want one pony to be on offense and one on defense. The one of offense will try to get around the defending pony and try to make a clear shot at the basket. Got it? This will be raising, both your defense and offense skills... likely" FastBall explained thoroughly next, getting a few bewildered faces from at least two ponies already.

Applejack instantly took this as another opportunity to just annoy her 'friend' RainbowDash. She just calmly trotted over to where the cyan pegasus stood, awaiting a partner. Instantly though Rainbow gave a disgusted look at the orange pony when she approached her. "Ugh, not you again" Rainbow snickered.

"Well who were you expectin'? Pinkie?" Applejack nodded to where PinkiePie was trying to get a partner. Obviously, Twilight didn't wanna be the bigger pony anymore so she was trying to hide from the searching Pink pony, in hopes of getting some new partner.

RainbowDash shrugged and sighed, seeming she had no other choice. I mean, who else would be bold enough to face her? Fluttershy? Not a chance...

Fluttershy at this moment was actually feeling a bit more courageous than she had last night though. She tip toed ever so slowly to where Rarity was standing. "U-Um Rarity? C-Could we get together again?" Fluttershy asked her most bestest friend from within the group.

Rarity was busy looking to see if anything dusty or nasty had gotten into her hair but she then turned to Fluttershy and nodded, leaving a poor Twilight to be with PinkiePie again.

"Ok! You are now deciding who will be defense and who will be offense!" FastBall then instructed.

RainbowDash instantly almost exploded when FastBall had said these words. "Can I be defense?" Dash asked Applejack, giving a small pleading smile.

Applejack just smirked. "Whatever RD"

And with that RainbowDash only returned the smirk. Dash knew she was much better at defense than offense, but whichever way she was placed with, she tried her best.

PinkiePie was offense again, seeming Twilight had wanted to get her defensive skills up more.

And Fluttershy and Rarity?...

"C-Can I be offense?" Fluttershy suggested shyly, not daring to wanna have to block her unicorn friend. "Why of course deary!" Rarity just agreed, hardly looking up from whatever she was doing with her curls now..

"Alright! Each offense pony, grab a ball!" FastBall's voice was then heard again.

"You ready?" RainbowDash taunted AJ with a daring look.

"Oh I'm ready..." Applejack just simply replied, making Rainbow slightly twitch with anger at this. Applejack always acted like anything was a blow off, that, or she wasn't offended by much Rainbow had to usually say.

"Here we go!" Pinkie shouted, right as the whistle was blown by the Coach.

Instantly Applejack began dribbling her ball, keeping a watchful eye on Dash. Rainbow on the other hoof was watching Applejack's every movement like a hawk. She just had to get this right, to prove herself to Lightning Dust ever so again!

Applejack suddenly darted to the left, but then doubled back and headed to the right, confusing Rainbow quite quickly.

Rainbow flashed to her right, to stay on top of the orange earth pony. She had her hooves out in front of her defensively, while her wings were flapping hard, though she wasn't doing her usual ominous hovering, she was still just ever so slightly off of the ground.

Next Applejack tried to head deeper for the basket, but Rainbow just cut her off. This gave Applejack a small amount of anger.

_Move! Darn it..._

Applejack then headed back the other way, trying to see if this would take any effect on the aggressive pegasus.

Meanwhile PinkiePie was dribbling her own ball and was getting quite and easy shot at the basket. Twilight was struggling to keep up with the fast party pony that her legs were even beginning to ache.

"Come on Twilight, aren't you supposed to be guarding me?" Pinkie asked as she dribbled just out of range from Twilight's defensive hooves.

Twilight just gritted her teeth at the small taunt that slipped from Pinkie.

She then finally managed to slow the pink earth pony down and get into her face finally.

"H-How do you like it?" Twilight asked as she flew her hooves up and down in front of PinkiePie.

Pinkie pondered for a second as she continued dribbling.

"mmm... Needs a bit more work. You could do better but ok!" Pinkie wasn't trying to be competitive, but she was just being Pinkie, and with doing so, she was making Twilight more and more furious.

Rarity and Fluttershy though were not having much luck either.

Fluttershy was finding it hard to even dribble the ball while Rarity just held her hooves lamely out in front of her like she was about to faint from boredom.

"Hurry up Fluttershy, and make a move... You don't want to keep me waiting" Rarity encouraged quite harshly towards Fluttershy, causing her to give a small shrill squeak.

Fluttershy gulped, but then found to courage to make a move. With her first hoofstep she was already instantly blocked by Rarity. "O-Oh... E-Excuse me..." Fluttershy apologized as she tried to push past Rarity a bit forcefully.

"Nothing to be excused about. I mean, at least your trying now!" Rarity spoke quite cheerfully, which was quite rare seeming she usually had a dramatic tone hiding her every excitement or happiness.

Fluttershy gave a greatful smile before she then tried another attempt at moving with her ball, only to be cut off by Rarity again.

"Seriously Fluttershy, your going to have to kick up your speed and witts darling" Rarity remarked, casting a small weary glance towards the Coach to see if he was watching... But thankfully he was watching RainbowDash and Applejack at the moment.

The two were tripping each other up, back and forth, like some kind of silent war.

Applejack had to admit that Rainbow's defensive skills were actually quite good, leaving hr struggling to keep pace with the pegasus.

"Is that the best you got?" Rainbow challenged as she blocked Applejack's next attempt of escape.

Applejack gave her a furious glare before she then darted to the right, no the left, now the right again, confusing RainbowDash ever so easily.

_Got Ya..._

Rainbow now had a focusing look on her face as she tried to make out, which way Applejack was really planning on going.

Suddenly though, as if to answer her question, Applejack flew to the left, knocking the bewildered Rainbow down as she moved.

Rainbow let out a small yelp before she then zipped back over to where the orange pony was continuing her dribbling to the goal. Applejack just had to get to the basket!

But Dash was now angrier than ever. And she wasn't about to let that same stupid mistake get pulled off on her again.

PinkiePie and Twilight weren't doing too well either. Twilight was panting madly as she still tried to block Pinkie's every escape route.

"Oh come on Twilight!... You gotta keep up! This is basketball not hockey!" Pinkie joked as she then slid around the sweaty lavender unicorn.

"W-Wha? W-Wait!" Twilight had hardly even heard what she had said, due to her gasping for breath every second.

"I said, keep up!" Pinkie smiled cheerfully as she bounded down the court.

"O-Oh n-no you don't!" Twilight galloped after the pink pony, in attempt to stop her from getting every hoofstep closer to the basket now.

Rarity and Fluttershy were still in their same positions when they had even started.

"Come on Fluttershy! Pretend this is a real game and I'm a real opponent!" Rarity suggested, making Fluttershy shrink back slightly at this. "O-Oh but I-I couldn't possibly-..." Fluttershy was cut off by the arrogant Rarity again though. "Nonsense! You'll do great!" Rarity encouraged as she still hung her white hooves loosely out in front of her.

Fluttershy gulped. "O-Ok.."

_I-I have to do this!... I-I don't wanna l-look like a failure at the game!... A-And the game is tomorrow!_

Fluttershy then put on a serious face that made Rarity give a small unsure look. "T-That's the spirit!" She then cheered, seeing Fluttershy's aggressive side finally make an approach.

Fluttershy then rolled off to the left, dribbling the ball like she never had before. Sure it was a sloppy posture and the diribbling was still awful but it was the best she had done in ages!

"Good! Good!" FastBall was calling out compliments every which was from the sidelines now. "Good attempt Applejack! Nice movement Twilight! I like that defense Rainbow! Good try Fluttershy?..." FastBall had to use a small questionable tone for the last remark on Fluttershy. At least she was doing much better than last night...

RainbowDash and Applejack were now the closest to the basket. "I-I'm gonna make this!" Applejack taunted Rainbow, getting a very slight horrified look from Rainbow, but before it ever appeared it vanished...

"No, your not!" Rainbow mocked, getting a frustrated look back from Applejack.

"Wanna bet!?"

The two were head and head now, snorting into each other's faces.

Applejack did a small double back move to try and make a small move now, but every time she tried making a single attempt, Rainbow just blocked her.

_That's it!_

Applejack had enough now! She twisted to the right, and then to the left again. She liked using this move the best, seeming it always fooled Rainbow into which way she was going.

Annoyance began drawing itself onto Dash's face now.

"Cut it out AJ!" Rainbow snarled.

"Nah" Applejack finally made her move. A swift movement to the right, causing Rainbow to leap for her but fall again, doing half of a belly flop.

"Ouch!" Rainbow yelped, her eyes tightening as pain shot up through her jaw as it made contact with the floor madly.

Applejack felt complete on hurting Rainbow now. Just seeing her fall was completely priceless anyhow. But just as she was twisting back around to aim for the basket, a small crack came fro her back left hoof.

Applejack let out a loud howl in sudden pain and agony as she dropped to the floor, twisting her ankle.

* * *

**Please review. Always a joy when I get a review ^^**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

* * *

Applejack landed onto the shiny gym floor, clutching her left back hoof madly. "Ow!... OWW!" Applejack moaned through vibrating pains, her hat even flying off as she struggled violently.

Coach FastBall was charging furiously over to his two best players, his legs pumping like no pony has ever seen before. He quickly blew his whistle, causing everypony to stop in their little drill.

PinkiePie quickly lost the ball at the sight of RainbowDash and Applejack on the ground, while Rarity let out a horrified gasp.

Fluttershy though was feeling so proud of herself that she never even noticed the two that were sprawled on the floor and in pain.

She felt so alive at the moment.

_I-I'm winning!_

But then she heard the whistle again, but this time, much louder, causing her to lose her focus and for her to lose the ball.

She gave a small squeak of sadness before turning around to see the terrifying scene.

"O-OH MY!" She shrieked.

Instant sadness and agony filled Fluttershy to the bone, causing her to shake slightly.

_N-No!... W-What ever did happen to them?_

Twilight and the others had devastated looks on their faces as well.

"W-What happened!?" Twilight demanded as she ran towards her friends.

"T-They were playing like pros when... T-They... T-They..." FastBall could hardly finish his sentence as he tried to recap on what he had just seen and witnessed.

"O-Ouch..." Rainbow's eyes were still clenched tightly shut as she tried to get to her feet.

Applejack was still just trembling on the gym floor, unable to even groan at her seizing pain.

"R-RainbowDash? Applejack?" PinkiePie came bouncing over to them. "I-Is this some kind of joke?... Aww you got us good!" Pinkie squeaked playfully, causing RainbowDash to finally open her eyes and stare daggers at her.

This made Pinkie quickly jump and shrink back behind Twilight. "Y-Y... You think this w-was a joke?" RainbowDash seethed as she then turned to spit blood out from her mouth.

"Eww! Gross!" Rarity came trotting over to the scene as well, with her usual sarcastic tone and facial expression showing.

"Shut up ok?" Twilight then snapped at the white unicorn as she then laid her gaze on Applejack. "...O-Oh no... H-How could this happen?" Twilight was half and half talking to herself now as she lowered her tone.

FastBall was kneeling over the injured orange earth pony now.

"Can somepony get me the school nurse!? Has she gone home yet!?" FastBall then called out to two janitor ponies from on the far sidelines of the gym.

"Uh yeah she went home about two hours ago, but uh we could call the uh, hospital for ya if you uh... want?" Came the reply of a brown stallion with a black mustache and a green janitorial vest on.

The other, cream colored stallion with a small unshaved beard just continued mopping the gym floor as his eyes slowly trailed from RainbowDash to Applejack.

FastBall just glared at the brown janitor pony before nodding slowly. "N-No need for the hospital. I think she'll manage" FastBall then lowered his head back down to look at Applejack.

"H-Hey, can you move at all?" He asked her, fear engulfing his green eyes.

Applejack slowly opened her trembling eyes. "I-I can't really move back left back leg Coach but other than that, I'm fine. I think I just pulled a tendril or sprang my ankle is all" Applejack muttered as she too began pulling herself to her hooves.

Fluttershy was now gathering around, her teal eyes full of fear and horror. "O-O my... R-RainbowDash, are you alright?" She asked, tears slightly beginning to form on the tips of her eyes.

Rainbow tried to puff out her chest in attempt of acting 'cool' as usual but only managed to couch slightly. "I-I'm fine" she reassured. Yet she still tasted an odd amount of blood from within her mouth.

"I-I think I just banged my jaw pretty hard is all" Rainbow explained as she sat fully up now.

"W-Wow... I-I could never survive through any of that..." Fluttershy admitted, making Rainbow give a very weak smile.

Dash though then turned her head to take a glance at what had happened to Applejack. She looked at FastBall to AJ.

Sure she hated Applejack, just as Applejack hated her, but neither of them knew what to do or say whenever the other got horribly injured...

Rainbow just watched as FastBall placed his hoof on Applejack's ankle making her squeal slightly in pain. FastBall then nodded and stood up.

"Ok! Applejack might have to sit out for the last bit of practice... even though we've only been here for about twenty minutes" Coach FastBall explained. "We think she sprang her ankle so she just has to sit out... No questions asked" FastBall then nudged Applejack to her feet.

Pinkie just tipped her head though. "But what about RainbowDash? She won't have a partner now..."

Rainbow lowered her head ever so slightly as FastBall looked at her. "C-Can you still play, Dash?" He asked questionably.

Rainbow's jaw sure did ache whenever she tried to talk or move it, but it never could feel as bad at what had happened to Applejack possibly.

"I-I think I can manage" She assured, confidence shimmering in her magenta eyes.

Pinkie gave a small happy yip.

Twilight though then spoke up. "Well she still won't have a partner... What's she expected to do?" Twilight asked as she came to stand beside her pegasus friend, who was still slightly panting from her accidental rush of force.

"She can sit out and watch for now I guess but you all need to keep training it's-..." FastBall began but PinkiePie cut him off.

"...RainbowDash can have Twilight as a partner... I don't mind sitting out" Pinkie smiled, getting an ever so greatful look from Dash.

FastBall pondered for a second before nodding. "That's so sweet of you Pinkie" Twilight then remarked. "Sure is darling, I mean I'm not sure if I would have done that" Rarity admitted, getting a look from Twilight and FastBall all at once while Rainbow just scowled slightly at her.

Fluttershy still just watched on in pity. These two ponies were the two that had stuck up for her at tryouts... and now they had gotten hurt all because they were being way too competitive?

What if that happened in the game tomorrow? Will Applejack even be able to play by then?

So many questions were beginning to burn through Fluttershy's head sadly now as she watched Applejack climb up onto some bleachers from the sidelines of the gym. This wasn't working out at all...

* * *

**Please review.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

* * *

RainbowDash still felt slightly light headed from her encounter with the gym floor. How could that have happened to her? What if that had happened during a game? She would have looked like a total loser in front of Lightning Dust and Beautybrass!

Despair clouded Rainbow's thoughts and for a second she was so lost in her own world that she hardly even heard what Twilight was finish saying to her.

"-careful next time" Twilight finished as she nudged her friend.

Rainbow nodded as she casted her gaze towards the orange earth pony who caused all of the pain in the first place.

_I told her to stop doing that stupid little move like she was doing, just to trip me up but she wouldn't listen..._

Rainbow for once actually felt a bit happy that Applejack had gotten injured. It was great to see her 'friend' sprawled on the floor and in such agony.

"So Do you want offense or defense?" Twilight asked next with a friendly smile. Rainbow pondered before giving a small embarrassed smile. "C-Could I maybe have offense this time? Defense kinda shook me up" Dash admitted. And with that Twilight nodded. "Oh ok" Anger slightly budded at Twilight, seeming she was defense every time, but if it was for her best friend, than she do it.

Meanwhile, back on the bleachers, Applejack was feeling so restless that she just wanted to get out there on the court and play for herself. And she definitely wanted to go up against RainbowDash again and take her revenge on her. This would have never happened if Rainbow just hadn't have chosen Defense!

_Ugh! That stupid brat thinks she owns it... Well next time, I'm being defense... If there is a next time_

Fear clutched Applejack whenever she thought about the game tomorrow. Springing her ankle is probably the worst thing that could possibly happen before the game.

Suddenly though PinkiePie came bouncing up from off of the court.

Applejack gave a small bewildered look as she approached. "P-Pinkie? What are you doin' here? Thought you were t face Twilight again?" Applejack reminded the party pony.

PinkiePie just shrugged. "Nah. I gave my spot to RainbowDash. Seems like she really wanted to play again, and since she didn't have a partner to compete with, I gave her Twilight. Besides... She and Twilight are like best friends anyways" PinkiePie assured, making Applejack feel a bit left out.

What if she wanted to continue playing? Applejack then tried to move her leg, which only caused a great jolt of pain to come upon her.

"Anyways, will you be ok before tomorrow?" Pinkie then changed the subject pretty quickly, making Applejack give an unsure glance at her. "W-Well... I don't know... Truth is-.." Applejack was cut off though as Coach FastBall suddenly came trotting up to the bleachers. "How are ya doing Applejack?" FastBall asked, quite nicely.

Applejack gave a small smile. "Great... I think" She muttered before she just nodded. "I'm really fine Coach. I didn't mean to scare everypony like that" Applejack admitted.

"Hey it's ok! I scare ponies all of the time!" Pinkie smiled cheerfully, making Applejack only feel gloomier. "No. Not that kinda scare Pinkie..." Applejack trailed off as she began watching RainbowDash again, her annoyance for the cyan pegasus lasting from within her now.

Meanwhile Fluttershy had now been put with defense, and Rarity was with Offense. "Ok darling, now just show me what you did on offense! You can do defense just as much" Rarity encouraged her shy friend.

"O-Oh I don't know Rarity..." Fluttershy flew her gaze to the ground sheepishly.

"Nonsense... You'll do fine" Rarity assured as soon as FastBall blew the whistle.

Instantly Fluttershy tried to get into a defensive position, but it was just way too sloppy. Rarity only gave a weak smile at her friend though, as she didn't want to hurt her feelings again like Rainbow had already gone and done the night before...

Speaking of which Rainbow was actually having a bit more luck with keeping pace with Twilight. Twilight wasn't as competitive as Applejack, therefore she didn't try to trick Dash as much, even though Twilight was the one who was on defense this time... either way Twilight was easier.

Rainbow began dribbling as soon as she had heard the whistle, her wings were flapping slightly from the tension within the small game, making Rainbow feel more challenging within each second.

She quickly darted for the left, Twilight quickly keeping pace with her. The lavender alicorn had her hooves stretched out in front of her, and yet her speed wasn't very direct.

Rainbow quickly saw this opportunity and dove for a spot underneath the basket. But she couldn't get a clear angle, what with Twilight getting all in her face.

Twilight tried to stay on her friend as much as possible. She knew RainbowDash was far more athletic than she was, seeming she'd much rather read a book than go outside much.

And yet all at once, she was really enjoying playing Basketball with her friends. Sure things went wrong here and there, and some ponies get hurt but.. besides that?... The fun was unbeatable and so she couldn't wait for the upcoming game...

After about ten more minutes of some basic scrimmage drills, Coach FastBall finally blew his whistle. "Ok! I think it's time to wrap it up team!" FastBall remarked, signaling for everyone to gather around the bleachers.

Twilight instantly gave Rainbow a small nudge. "Great playing Rainbow!" She said happily. "You too Twi!" Rainbow shot back as she flew over to where the brown stallion awaited.

Rarity and Fluttershy kinda started moving and playing a little better too, within the hour but other than that, they wren't the best.

"Ok... So tomorrow... tomorrow evening... it's gonna be tough" FastBall began as the ponies all finally met up. Even PinkiePie had come off of the bleachers, helping Applejack follow too as she did so.

"W-Who are we facing? Like do you know any of the members?" Rainbow suddenly was just dying to ask. She could already feel the slightest feeling of fear beginning to creep upon her as she pictured Lightning Dust at the first game.

"I don't know that question... All I know is that we're facing a pretty tough team" FastBall began, for once, eyeing RainbowDash and Applejack as they were his top players... and yet both had been previously injured, and it just didn't seem quite fair.

"Ok so after this first game, when's the next game?" Rarity then asked from the back suddenly. FastBall just stared at her. "What? Didn't you all know that you had two games in one night?" FastBall questioned, making Rarity gasp in disbelief while Fluttershy gave a horrid squeal.

"Huh!?" Twilight took a pace back from the sudden news while RainbowDash just gave a furious snarl at FastBall.

"You couldn't have told us sooner!?" Rainbow snapped as she zipped high into the sky.

FastBall seemed taken aback a bit.

"W-Well I thought you all knew?... I guess I had forgotten to tell you about that part" FastBall admitted, his ears ever so slightly flattening for once.

"Well duh! What the hay is this about? TWO GAMES!?" Applejack whined as she tried to stomp her front hooves on the ground, which only made her feel another few jolts of pain from her left back ankle.

"We have lives ya know!" Rarity prompted, making FastBall instantly just glare at her in return. "YEAH I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE LIVES! AND BASKETBALL IS APART OF IT NOW!" FastBall roared, not wanting to be yelled at any further.

Pinkie even had stopped her happy little bouncing, and Fluttershy was covering her face up yet again with her long pink mane, practically shaking in total fear.

Twilight just tipped her head angrily though. "B-But FastBall, two games in one night? H-How can that be?" Twilight asked, not wanting to anger Coach FastBall anymore.

"Well Like I said last night... It's not my fault. I didn't make the schedules..." FastBall retorted, making Twilight just nod in understanding.

"Anyways, I want you all to get a good nights sleep and meet at the basketball stadium at Foal Mountain, just outside of Ponyville ok? That's where we'll be playing" FastBall instructed, making Rarity gulp from the back.

Twilight only nodded. "We'll be there..." She promised.

Everypony though still felt down about this though. Fluttershy was still shaking in her hooves while RainbowDash just wore a gloomy, down strucken face. Applejack glanced helplessly down at her ankle, and Rarity couldn't stop thinking about her dozen orders of dresses that she had to finish over the weekend... So much to do... in so little time.

* * *

**Please Review. And Get ready for the games!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

* * *

The stars shone brightly in the air that next night. All of that waiting had come down to this. This was it. A real Basketball game... TWO actually, seeming FastBall didn't have to courage or something the first time to tell Twilight and her friends the news of having two games in one night.

All six of the ponies had taken a train to Foal Mountain that afternoon and was now preparing to get out on the court and play a game.

Coach FastBall instantly greeted them as soon as they entered through the big doors that led into the stadium. "Come on girls, let's do this and show those other ponies what we're made of" Twilight encouraged as they entered. Crowds upon crowds upon crowds of ponies were just cheering away from hundred feet high bleachers!

Huge LED lights hung from above, shimmering down onto a large court that held many teams of ponies. Right now two other teams were finishing up their own game, that were basically tied at the moment. 17 to 18.

RainbowDash gulped as she scanned the teams of ponies, just hoping to not get a glimpse of Lightning Dust or her pathetic friend, BeautyBrass. She was really looking forward though at the same time to prove herself to them, and yet she'd prefer if they were sick or something and they weren't here mainly...

Applejack on the other hoof was still a bit slighted from her ankle. She was hoping she could play the best she ever could with this injury, and yet luckily, just last night Granny Smith had whipped up a small brew that normally calmed the nerves of some aching joints, such as the ankle. Applejack was feeling mighty better after that, though every so often her ankle just made her wince every now and then.

Rarity was actually feeling pretty embarrassed herself for actually thinking that maybe using her pink basketball would satisfy her here, but with all these watching pony fans, she couldn't bare to even bring her pink ball out into sight. She sighed.

Fluttershy was trembling at every little sight of every little single pony. She hated crowds... especially big ones! And this place so far carried the biggest crowd she had ever yet seen! What if she failed tonight? What if she totally lost the ball while she was playing? What if she tripped? What if she got hurt like RainbowDash and Applejack from back at practice? There were so many possibilities that could happen to her! She just felt like screaming and running for the nearest exit right now..

PinkiePie though was trying to keep her hopes and faiths up about winning tonight. She had seen the way her friends had scrimmaged from back on the first night of practice. It was quite amazing to see them all just doing perfect strides and strategies and so... with that, this gave the pink party pony some hope...

Now Twilight? She was trying to hold her confidence in with each step as FastBall led them towards their benching place. They were about to be playing a real basketball game within like two minutes!

Twilight kept on eyeing the timer as she and her friends walked. It was now down to 1 minute and 23 seconds.

She could just already feel the tension that was beginning to rise within her and her friends.

Finally though they had reached their bench on which they will set up their statics.

"Ok everypony, get out there and do good! Applejack how is your ankle?" FastBall then asked as he set a large bag and some sheets down on the bench.

"Feeling a might bit better sir" Applejack reassured, although she really wasn't reassuring herself all at the same time...

RainbowDash just kept her head low. She couldn't see who they were facing yet, seeming the other team might not be here yet but she knew Lightning Dust was on one of them...

"Ok so um, how long does each game last?" Rarity suddenly asked as she set her water bottle down from underneath the bench.

"15 minutes, until half time. Then we got another 15 minutes until the first game is over" FastBall answered quickly, as the buzzer suddenly went off, signaling that it was their turn to play now.

"A-A-Are we playing right now?! W-We just got here!" Fluttershy objected suddenly, horror flashing in her eyes as she desperately looked around to see the other ponies clearing the court.

"Well no. Let's see... We get five minutes to warm up" FastBall looked at a watch he wore at the moment and then back up to where the scoreboard read 5:00 minutes.

"W-Well... I guess we're just going to have to buck up and-" Twilight began to encourage her timid friends but FastBall just cut her off. "That's great now get out there!" FastBall shooed the team away, and handed Twilight a ball to warm up with.

Twilight gulped. This was all happening so soon...

She then glanced at her friends, who were feeling pretty bad about what was about to happen.

Suddenly though PinkiePie broke the awkward lonely silence. "Oh! I know! How about we make up a team chant!" Pinkie suggested as they all headed for one side of the court.

Twilight pondered before nodding. "That's an excellent idea Pinkie!" She agreed.

Pinkie just shined. "Ok ok! I've already got one in mind! And it's really awesome!" Pinkie explained excitedly as they all reached their basket.

"Yeah? What is it?" Rainbow asked from her hovering position.

"Ok here it goes... FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT! WE'RE FROM PONYVILLE AND WE'RE GREAT!" Pinkie did a small combo move as she sang the chant and when she finished, she did this kind of split that made her look kinda tacky.

Rarity nodded. "Oh that's lovely Pinkie"

"Sure is!" Applejack agreed.

Twilight suddenly then glanced up at the clock to see that they had already wasted a minute, listening to Pinkie's chant. "uh, hey guys we gotta really get to warming up" Twilight advised, making everypony nod hurriedly.

"Ok so how are we exactly going to do this?" Rainbow asked, crossing her hooves impatiently. "Hmm. How about we get into two lines. One line will dribble the ball down and do a layup and the ponies in the other lane will have to rebound the ball! Simple!" Twilight smartly made up her little strategy within a flash.

"Ok, works for me" Rainbow agreed.

Fluttershy the whole time hadn't said a word. She couldn't bring herself to find her courage through these big crowds and spotlights.

_Oh come on me... I've got to do... s-s-something!_

Twilight then handed the ball to RainbowDash, seeming she was the first in line. RainbowDash was just about to begin dribbling down to the basket when her heart dropped as she spotted Lightning Dust throughout the crowding ponies! Rainbow twitched slightly as fear overcame her quickly.

_O-Oh no! S-She's here!_

Rainbow began breathing wildly, until Applejack finally slapped her right on the back. "Cut it out Rainbow! Why won't you go?" Applejack retorted at the cyan pegasus who seemed to be struggling over something... serious.

Suddenly though everything came flooding back to Applejack from the first night of practice when RainbowDash had told her of her fears at facing Lightning Dust and whoever this other chick was...

Applejack instantly began scanning the court, and no sooner did she spot the greenish colored pegasus that she knew this is what was bothering Dash now.

Applejack couldn't help but let a fatal smirk slip as she watched Rainbow shrink back slightly, just to not get noticed by Lightning Dust.

Rainbow gulped before looking at Applejack. "Uh... I-I.." she began.

"What's wrong Rainbow?" Twilight then asked from the other lane.

Rainbow felt her face slightly going red now.

_Come on Dash! I-It's just an old enemy! Nothing to it!... You can show her what Rainbow is really made of!_

Rainbow still couldn't shake the thought that Lightning Dust could maybe just possibly be on the same team that they were about to face... And if so, that would ruin Rainbow completely...

"Well? Is something wrong Dashie?" Applejack taunted, making Rainbow just glare at her. "Don't call me Dashie! For the last time!" She snarled.

Applejack just shrugged, though she too couldn't shake the thought that RainbowDash's fear was coming true.

Suddenly though Applejack felt a small jolt of pain shoot up her leg from where her ankle had been sprung. She jerked her head around to see a little innocent Rarity just barely blushing slightly. "O-Oh I'm so sorry deary. I was talking to Fluttershy when I accidently kicked your leg. Very sorry..." Rarity confessed as she looked the orange earth pony dead in the eye.

"Yeah huh... likely story" Applejack muttered only to then turn around to see RainbowDash finally doing her layup.

Rainbow then zipped to the back of the line, panting madly... probably from fear than from the warm up.

Applejack just chuckled before she was then handed the ball.

She quickly started down the court to do her own layup when her ankle suddenly screwed her up and made her trip. She lost the ball over to the sidelines and instantly began to feel humiliation stumble over her.

_Oh no!... Maybe I'm not ready to play!_

* * *

**Please review.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

* * *

Twilight immediately let out a terrified gasp as she watched as Applejack tripped and fell from her stubborn ankle. "A-Applejack!?" Twilight called out, along with a few other worried murmurs from her friends.

"Oh dear" Rarity remarked.

"Oh no..." Came PinkiePie's.

RainbowDash though was enjoying Applejack's fall, seeming Applejack had just recently made fun of her own troubles...

RainbowDash couldn't help but take a glance over her shoulder to see if Lightning Dust really truly was playing against her team.. and unfortunately she was. She watched as Lightning Dust chatted away with Lyra HeartStrings, CherryBerry, and of course none other than Beautybrass!

_Ok... Keep it together_

RainbowDash tried to hide her fears, but what if Lightning Dust ever noticed her?

She looked around at her small team, seeing Fluttershy continue to shake from underneath her mane, and Rarity just worry about her curls. And Applejack just HAD do go and pull a stunt like that...

Dash began to panic now. What if they failed?

Now Applejack was beginning to see RainbowDash get a bit more hyper from where she stood now. Applejack couldn't help but enjoy the scene of the desperate Dash, and yet she felt this odd sensation of sympathy also for the cyan pegasus... though she'd never admit it.

_Well she DID trust me enough to tell me what was bothering her from back on the first night of practice..._

Applejack then just looked down at her ankle.

Though Applejack had just slipped by her own ankle, that really didn't get Applejack down at the moment. In fact she really didn't care at how dumb she looked as she fell... though it did kind of hurt... but still.

Twilight quickly came and hauled her to her hooves. "Uh Thanks Twilight" Applejack nodded greatfully to the lavender pony. "No problem... now let's hurry and finish up. The game is about to start" Twilight reminded, making the two just hurry and scatter back to their lines.

* * *

The buzzer finally went off for the end of warming up. It was now truly time for the game.

Rainbow just kept her head low as she and her friends trotted back to where Coach FastBall stood from near the benching spot.

She didn't wanna play basketball for once... Just like Fluttershy had said... Rainbow felt a little too downtrodden to play at the moment... but she didn't have a choice.

"Ok team this is it. After all that dramatic training... here we are" FastBall began, as he proudly took a glance at his own cutie mark showing a basketball being bounced into a hoop.

"I know who we're up against now. Their Coach's name is SwiftHoof. She's got a pretty tough team over there" FastBall explained, suddenly making Rainbow lighten her senses. "Wait just a flying-flipping second!... Did you just meet SwiftHoof's team members? As in talked to them? Why the heck do that when we're about to kick their flanks!" RainbowDash snarled, actually thinking of her own feelings towards SwiftHoof's team than FastBall's feelings.

"Uh... You don't know if we're going to win or not? And Me and SwiftHoof have been friends for years! We've always versed each other! Why should it change now?" FastBall snapped back at the enraged pegasus with a hint of sarcasm sketching his tone.

This made Rainbow drop her gaze. "O-Oh..."

After a few more awkward seconds of silence Twilight then shouldered her way over to where Rainbow hovered.

"RAINBOWDASH!?" Twilight budded her friend in the chest. "Why would you say something like that!" She whispered loudly. Rainbow just looked away though. "I-I don't know.." She admitted, quite aimlessly.

She could already tell that Applejack was just watching her with devious taunting eyes.

"So... What's the strategy here? I mean... of course, if we have one" Rarity then asked. FastBall quickly nodded. "In fact we do" He then took out a small whiteboard-like object that had a basketball court on it. FastBall then took out an expo marker and began drawing the positions within the court lines on the whiteboard.

"Ok. For defense, I want Applejack, RainbowDash and PinkiePie up front. Doesn't matter where. Just get up front. Fluttershy, Twilight and Rarity get behind them, and stay like under the basketball goal completely, so they don't get the chance to shoot" FastBall began drawing lines here and there on the whiteboard.

"Got it" Twilight nodded.

"Okie Dokie Lokie!" Pinkie squealed.

"Aww yeah! We're up top!" Rainbow then just had to remark, making Applejack just send her a look.

"Alright and on offense-" FastBall was suddenly cut off by a referee pony that wore a black and white striped shirt. He blew his whistle. "Ok! Teams! Get ready!" The referee pony had a deep voice as he was a sleek black stallion. And yet you could clearly see the age on his face, seeming he was pretty old.

The referee pony's cutiemark shown a picture of a whistle as well.

"Oh no.." Fluttershy muttered from under her hair. She was freaking out at this moment. She had no idea who she was going to have to guard or be guarded by... but she just knew she had to butter up some how.. seeming this was it.

"Ok quickly!" FastBall began to draw again on the basketball whiteboard. "On offense I want RainbowDash and PinkiePie in the back corners. Applejack you'll stand right under the basket. Twilight, I want you and Rarity up top. And Fluttershy you can sit out at first, seeming only five ponies can play FastBall decided.

With this Fluttershy couldn't help but give a sigh of relief. Her fears quickly lessened slightly, making her feel a whole lot better at this.

"Alright folks, let's do this!" Applejack then yelled as she tried to give a small excited buck, but only failed seeming her ankle had given her too much pain already.

"COACH FASTBALL! LET'S GO!" The referee pony called out from where he stood.

Twilight gulped as she watched FastBall nod hurriedly. "Got it" FastBall called back. Twilight then couldn't help but glance at the opposing team. CherryBerry, Minuette, Lyra Heartstrings, BeautyBrass, and Lightning Dust were the first ponies out from on that team.

Twilight then looked at her own team...

_Can Applejack even play? Oh I just hope everything goes alright!_

"Ok, RainbowDash you'll be tipping the ball off" FastBall then decided.

This instantly made Rainbow freak out. "M-Me!?" She huffed, terror shining in her eyes.

"Yes. You. Applejack is injured and nopony else can jump as high as you" FastBall explained, shooing them off next.

Dash could already feel the tension rising as she and her friends approached the court.

"Ok, you all know what order your in" FastBall yelled from the sidelines.

"Come on!" Came a sudden loud voice from the other side of the court. It was SwiftHoof, the coach of the opposing team. "We've got this in the bag!" SwiftHoof roared, stomping her hooves madly on the floor for her team.

SwiftHoof was a beautiful whitish cream colored pegasus who wore a sleek shimmering red jacket and maroon colored aviator glasses. She was obviously the type for competition.

Rainbow gulped as she hared over to the center of the court, wondering who will she be facing at the tipoff.

Suddenly though the redish pink colored figure of CherryBerry came trotting up to stand nose to nose with RainbowDash. "Hey..." CherryBerry gave a small smile at Rainbow.

Rainbow let out a long sigh at this. She at least could feel a little bit better now, that she was tipping CherryBerry off, other than some pony else like Lightning Dust.

"Players ready?" The referee began.

RainbowDash instantly got into a good jumping position. She knew she was fast enough to beat CherryBerry at this but.. what if she had to guard Lightning Dust or something?...

"Good luck..." CherryBerry suddenly whispered to Dash, making her feel a bit prideful.

"Uh yeah" Rainbow agreed.

Quick as ever the whistle suddenly blew, and RainbowDash and CherryBerry leaped into the air. Of course though Rainbow tipped it off first, aiming it for PinkiePie who instantly snatched the ball up like it was a million dollars or something...

"Your going down losers!" Came the snobbish voice from Lightning Dust and a few other bad remarks to come along with it...

It was official... The game had started!

* * *

**Please review.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

* * *

Fluttershy watched as RainbowDash flew into the sky first, whacking the ball towards PinkiePie. PinkiePie instantly caught it and began dribbling it like it was nothing.

"Fall back!" FastBall demanded.

"WE'RE ON DEFENSE! Let's move!" Came the thunderous voice of SwiftHoof next.

PinkiePie was now dribbling madly towards the basket when suddenly BeautyBrass slid in front of her. "Going somewhere?" BeautyBrass scoffed.

Pinkie instantly changed directions at this. "Nope, but you are! Seeming you gotta follow me!" Pinkie chuckled while dribbling naturally.

Twilight instantly hurried to get open, waving her arms madly, but she was shielded too quickly by Minuette.

Frustration began to prick at Twilight.

_Move it!_

RainbowDash raced around the side, quicker than lightning, hurrying to find a passing zone for Pinkie. "PinkiePie! Over here!" Rainbow yelled as she zoomed by the pink pony.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie quickly bounce passed the ball towards Rainbow, but before Dash could even reach out to grab it, Lightning Dust swept in and caught it.

"Nice move, Pinksters" Lightning taunted as she then turned to head down to her own basket.

Rainbow instantly felt quite embarrassed at the sudden presence of Lightning Dust... but to steal the ball just like that?

Dash and Pinkie looked at each other with annoyed faces before they stormed back down the court.

"OK! We're on defense!" FastBall yelled from the sidelines.

Applejack swiftly hared over to Lightning Dust, her orange hooves blocking her every movement.

Lightning Dust gave a small snicker before chest passing it to Lyra.

Rarity was instantly up on top of Lyra though, her white hooves flashing up and down. Lyra skidded and flashed to the left, leaving a bewildered Rarity in her wake.

"STOP HER!" FastBall snarled out.

RainbowDash was the closest to the greenish earth pony at the moment, and so she quickly stopped Lyra for the run to the basket.

"Hey!" Lyra snorted before she then turned to pass the ball to somepony on her team.

Rainbow though blocked her every move. Up and down and side to side.

"S-Some pony get open!" Lyra whined.

"Here!" Came the humiliating voice of Lightning Dust from on the side.

RainbowDash felt pressure beginning to build on top of her as she tried to block Lyra's pass.

Thankfully though Applejack came running up to shield Lightning Dust from the pass. "Hey!" Lightning fussed, searching for another way in.

Fluttershy watched, terrified from on the sidelines. Every pony was trying to hard.

She watched as CherryBerry tried to circle back around Lyra and to try and get the ball, but Rarity was now on top of her.

"I-I hope I can be l-like that..." Fluttershy mumbled to herself.

She could already see the tiredness forming in Applejack's eyes from her troubling ankle, and the sweat running from Rainbow's and Pinkie's brow.

Twilight was panting madly already as well and Rarity wasn't no better.

Lyra finally found a passing zone to Beautybrass, who was being guarded by Twilight.

BeautyBrass hared to the right and then zigzagged back to the right, fooling Twilight while catching the bounce pass from Lyra.

"Dang it!" Rainbow muttered as she nearly stole it within the air.

"Hey!" Twilight also remarked as she glared at BeautyBrass now.

"S-Somepony get open!" BeautyBrass was already being cornered by Twilight now, making it hard to pass to some pony.

"Over here!" Minuette suddenly charged forward as PinkiePie tried to shield her from the pass.

BeautyBrass tried to do another bounce pass to the approaching Minuette but PinkiePie struck out and stole the ball as it was being passed.

"THAT'S IT!" FastBall yelled from on the sidelines. "Fall back!"

PinkiePie then turned and galloped for the opposite basket. You could just hear the crowds in the stands going wild as SwiftHoof and FastBall chanted and cheered from the sidelines as well.

Applejack followed more slowly from her stubborn ankle, but fortunately, because of all of the pressure she has been putting on it lately, it was kinda feeling better within each minute she rode on it.

RainbowDash flew around the tailing Minuette and Rarity as she and PinkiePie galloped in the lead.

"Pass it Pinkie!" Rainbow demanded as she watched Minuette gain some ground on Pinkie's right side.

Pinkie nodded and chest passed the ball to Rainbow as the ponies all ran down to the opposite side.

Rainbow quickly watched as Minuette stormed into Pinkie and pushed her out of the way. "Move!" Minuette was now coming ever so fast on Rainbow's tail. But by then it was too late. Rainbow easily did a layup and the ball slipped perfectly into the basket.

At this FastBall gave a loud shout out. "That's what I'm talking about!" FastBall pounded the ground while SwiftHoof just carried a lingering frown on her face from the sudden score.

Next every pony had to fall back as the opposing team now had the ball. BeautyBrass dribbled it down while Lyra followed closely.

Applejack was watching BeautyBrass's every movement ever so slightly as she guarded CherryBerry now.

Quick as ever though BeautyBrass shot to the left and doubled back, doing a lickedy split pass to CherryBerry.

"Horse apples!" Applejack muttered as she was now back in CherryBerry's face like usual.

"Some pony get open!" CherryBerry fussed, instantly causing Lightning Dust to strike out from the side. Cherry Berry attempted to pass the ball when RainbowDash flew in and got all up in Lightning Dust's face.

"No!" CherryBerry yelped as she accidently let the ball slip from her hooves, leaving Applejack to grab at it.

"Nice!" Rainbow gave Applejack a smirk as the two then hared down the court to the other basket.

"You too" Applejack agreed as she dribbled as she ran. Riding on Applejack and RainbowDash's tail though was Lightning Dust, who green hooves hardly visible within the gym floor as she ran. She instantly twisted around and got up in Applejack's face, causing Applejack to skid on her sore ankle.

Pain shot up through Applejack instantly as terror filled her eyes.

RainbowDash quickly caught sight of this, and sadly Lightning Dust did too. "Oh what's wrong?" Lightning Dust taunted, acting like she cared.

"Hey shut up!" Rainbow flashed back, slightly embarrassed at saying this directly to Lightning Dust but it wasn't fair that AJ was hurt at the moment. Just then Lightning Dust next reached for the ball, trying to haul it out of Applejack's clamped hooves.

"H-Hey! Stop!" Applejack snarled as she felt anger beginning to crawl up her throat. Lightning Dust just continued though, maikng RainbowDash quickly join in for the fight for the ball.

"Give it to me!" Lightning demanded.

"No!" Applejack fought back.

"Let go!" Rainbow snarled at the greenish pegasus's face. "No!"

Suddenly though the whistle blew from the referee, making Lightning Dust instantly get up and trot away. "Humph... Amateur" Lightning Dust muttered to Lyra and BeautyBrass as she walked towards the benches for a drink from her water bottle.

Rainbow just stared after her angrily. "What the hay was that about?" Rainbow asked. Applejack didn't reply. She could still feel her sore ankle just eating away at her.

Fluttershy just watched in agony as Applejack and RainbowDash tried to get to their hooves now. FastBall next suddenly turned to her. "I want you to go in for Applejack. Right now. Go!" FastBall demanded.

"M-Me?!" Fluttershy gasped in such sudden horror.

"NOW!" FastBall roared, slamming his hoof on the ground impatiently.

Fluttershy nodded and hurried out onto the court, in front of thousands of watching ponies.

"I-I'm here t-to take your p-position Applejack" Fluttershy alerted the orange earth pony who gave a very greatful nod at her. "Thanks" she muttered as she limped off towards the benches.

RainbowDash watched her go and felt anger begin to twitch at her again. Sure she hated AJ, but she hated Lightning Dust MORE. She then turned to face Fluttershy. "Y-You got this right?"

"I-I... I don't know... I-I'm so sorry" Fluttershy mumbled, knowing how worried Rainbow felt at the moment to facing the fact that they might lose cause of her...

Fluttershy felt every inch of shame just completely take over her...

"I-I'm gonna try"

* * *

**Review Please. It would really encourage me to make more stories**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

* * *

"What happened?" Twilight frantically asked RainbowDash as Fluttershy quickly took Applejack's spot in the game.

"Lightning Dust is what happened" Rainbow growled as she glanced over at the greenish pegasus who was still chatting with her ridiculous friend BeautyBrass.

"Oh..." Twilight stared over to where Applejack sat now.

She then glanced up at the clock. Nine more minutes left.

"Well at least we're winning right now right?" Twilight spoke happily. Rainbow just turned her head away though. "It sure doesn't feel like winning"

"I-I know h-how you feel..." Fluttershy agreed quietly as Rarity and PinkiePie suddenly came trotting over to them. "Why in the name of Celestia did FastBall take Applejack out?" Rarity asked quickly, fear slightly glistening within her deep blue eyes.

"Yeah! Like she was doing awesome" Pinkie agreed.

"Lightning Dust hurt AJ's ankle" Rainbow explained, remembering every little detail of the snobbish act.

"How dare her! Well, she sure is uncouth!" Rarity sassed, making Fluttershy just stare at her with wide eyes.

"Well come on everypony let's not let their bad attitude get us down" Twilight encouraged making RainbowDash quickly go back to doing her hovering within the sky.

"Yeah!" Rainbow agreed.

"Yeppy! Peppy! Steppy!" Pinkie smiled as the referee then blew his whistle. "Ok. FastBall's on offense again and SwiftHoof's on defense" The referee blew the whistle again signaling for the ponies to get back to it.

PinkiePie, RainbowDash, and Twilight quickly took their positions under the basket. (Twilight seemingly had to take Applejack's positon)

Fluttershy and Rarity were up top this time, seeming they weren't on defense no more. Rarity passed the ball to Fluttershy, who would be bringing it down. The shy butter colored pegasus looked at her friend with pleading eyes.

_I-I don't want to do this!..._

But Fluttershy had no choice and began dribbling. Instantly though she passed the ball to an unprepared Rarity, causing it to go out of bounds immediately.

Rarity gave a shocked gasp. "Fluttershy!?" She fussed, and no sooner did the referee blow his whistle again.

"Ok I guess FastBall's back on defense" The Referee retorted, making Rarity just give Fluttershy an angered glare.

Fluttershy just lowered her head. "O-Oh..."

"Wow. Such losers" BeautyBrass muttered to Lightning Dust as she trotted by Rarity and Fluttershy.

"But hey we get the ball now, right?" Lyra also joined in with a laugh.

Fluttershy just felt like crying at that very second. But she couldn't... No not in front of this enormous crowd and her friends... Especially the opposing team...

Suddenly though the memory of being made fun of by Lightning Dust and BeautyBrass brought back the horrible memory of the night when Pinkie threw Fluttershy a party... She instinctively remembered how RainbowDash started to defend her that night and took it a little too far...

_Wait a minute! Is that what's been bothering Rainbow!?_

Fluttershy glanced over at her cyan pegasus friend, who was at the moment exactly looking at Lightning Dust angrily.

_Maybe it is..._

"FLUTTERSHY! GET YOUR BUTT DOWN THERE!" FastBall suddenly irrupted Fluttershy from her thoughts.

"O-Oh!" She quickly sprinted down the court and got into a very sloppy defensive position, at guarding Minuette now.

Rarity watched as her timid friend was called out by FastBall. Lightning Dust and CherryBerry had given each other snobbish chuckles.

"Wow..." CherryBerry muttered.

"I know right.." Lighting Dust agreed.

_Oh Fluttershy has really got to step up her game!..._

Back over at the benches, Applejack watched as the game began moving again. Fluttershy was hardly able to put her hooves up in attempt to shielding Minuette.

BeautyBrass was once again dribbling the ball down with Lyra at her side. BeautyBrass then quickly passed it to the open Minuette.

"Got it!" Minuette called out as she then turned to head for the basket.

"Get on her Fluttershy!" Applejack called out desperately. FastBall did the same, wondering if Fluttershy would ever learn...

Applejack then watched as RainbowDash skirted the sidelines, just to take over at guarding Minuette.

RainbowDash was doing a much better job at defense than Fluttershy, who was now just guarding nopony.

FastBall just sighed and facepalmed himself.

"What am I going to do?... Your injured and she.. I mean-" FastBall began looking for words when Applejack just cut him off. "Coach, I'm fine. Lightning Dust just made me skid on my bad hoof a bit, that's all. I can go back in whenever you want me too ya know" Applejack was mentioning the fact that she could save Fluttershy's position out there.

FastBall nodded slowly. "Yet the other team ponies need a rest too every now and then" His eyes were focusing on RainbowDash who looked oddly tired all of a sudden. She was panting like crazy actually, as she guarded Minuette with all her might.

Twilight was looking a bit sweaty as well, along with a beat Rarity. PinkiePie still looked fine at the moment...

"Your right bout that one Coach" Applejack agreed. Fluttershy just couldn't stay out for the whole game... No. She'd totally see what was going on, and she'd feel really left out. And the others would probably pass out from dehydration.

"I'm gonna bring Dash in" FastBall finally admitted as he looked at Rainbow to Applejack and then back to Fluttershy.

"Hey it'll be fine" Applejack tried to assure her own coach, but she just didn't think she sounded complete enough.

Next the two just sat and watched as Minuette finally tried to pass the ball to Lyra, but RainbowDash only stole the ball at this opportunity. Rainbow then was charging back down to the opposite side of the court, her eyes dreary and her wings flapping harshly, trying to see if they would help her go faster.

Pinkie was instantly at her side though. "Dash over here!" Pinkie called out.

Rainbow quickly dodged the block of CherryBerry and skidded to the right, perfectly passing the ball to Pinkie.

PinkiePie snatched up the oncoming ball and began driving further towards the basket. Lightning Dust was coming up fast, her green hooves pumping wildly, but luckily PinkiePie made it to the basket on time and did a precise and yet quite sloppy layup.

The ball skirted the rim a bit before it fell back the other way it came, missing the hoop.

PinkiePie tried to get the rebound but Lightning Dust was there quicker.

Next every pony had to turn back around and gallop back down to the other end.

Lightning Dust of course was in the lead with the dribbling ball. RainbowDash and Twilight though were right on her tail at the moment.

As everypony slowed down a bit as they got down to the basket, Twilight hurried in front of Lightning Dust to block her attempt to shoot. RainbowDash was right with Twilight as well, their hooves flicking in front of Lightning's face.

She groaned. "Some pony else get open!" She then turned to pass it to unguarded Minuette yet again.

RainbowDash instantly felt horror strike her as she noticed that Fluttershy wasn't even trying to guard Minuette at the moment!

_No!_

Rainbow flew to block Minuette's throw, but unfortunately, Minuette threw too quickly, leaving the ball swirling into the hoop.

The crowd went wild at this shot, especially SwiftHoof.

"That's my girl, Minuette!" She roared as she pounded her hooves on the shiny gym floor.

Rainbow just burned with anger at this now.

_They would have NEVER gotten that shot if PinkiePie, Applejack, or even Rarity was blocking Minuette!_

Panting very hard now from the rush, She jerked her head around to Fluttershy who was now trying to get in front of Minuette for the next round. "What was that!?" Rainbow instantly yelled at Fluttershy as she approached.

Fluttershy turned to face Rainbow with round eyes, as Minuette just watched on with her own wide eyes.

"Why couldn't you have just... tried for once Fluttershy!?" RainbowDash pleaded, making Fluttershy shrink back. "W-Well I-I didn't know I was s-supposed to guard Minuette... I-I was guarding C-CherryBerry" Fluttershy admitted.

RainbowDash only had time to do a facepalm before the whistle blew and suddenly Applejack came running out. "Dashie, I'm taking your position" Applejack remarked with the slightest smirk.

Rainbow just glared at her. "It's Dash. Not Dashie" She fussed before stalking off, her sides still heaving.

Applejack then gave Fluttershy her own look of disapproval. "Y-Ya know Fluttershy, Minuette wouldn't have-" Applejack began but Fluttershy just had enough now. "I know what I should have done ok!? It's bad enough Rainbow's mad at me!" Fluttershy exploded while a few tears slipped from her teal eyes.

"H-Hey I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to...-" For once Minuette stepped up from behind Fluttershy, seeing the sad mare cry was just too tough for Minuette.

"It's fine. You were only doing your part" Applejack assured the blue pony, who only looked on unsureness.

Fluttershy though was quite greatful for Minuette's caring spirit...

_Unlike some ponies..._

* * *

**Review Please.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

* * *

Twilight watched as a disapproving RainbowDash stormed past her towards the benches. Twilight then turned to see where she had come from. Applejack and Fluttershy were just arguing about something that Twilight just couldn't make out. Minuette was even there too, prompting lightly.

_Oh... We better pick this thing up._

They only had four minutes left now until half time, and this was only the first game!

Meanwhile RainbowDash was just watching as the game recapped.

She couldn't help but glance at Lightning Dust from afar. The mint green pegasus was already on top of Rarity at the moment as Fluttershy and PinkiePie this time dribbled the ball down.

Of course from the start though, Fluttershy instantly passed the ball to PinkiePie, who only accepted it happily.

This made Rainbow roll her eyes.

_Come on Fluttershy... If you make us lose_

PinkiePie was now dribbling the ball in and out of the two point line, seeming BeautyBrass kept on driving her back.

"S-Somepony get open!" Pinkie finally called out as BeautyBrass began to corner her.

Twilight surged upwards from her position and quickly struck out. "Over here Pinkie!" She called.

Pinkie passed the ball at Twilight, who caught it in just the nick of time as Lyra was pounding for it.

Twilight then quickly spun around and darted off for the basket, only to be suddenly be over taken by Lightning Dust who snatched the ball right out of Twilight's hooves.

Fear gripped Rainbow as she watched Lightning Dust storm down the court.

Applejack and Rarity were coming up fast on her, their legs racing side by side each other, but it was far too late to over take Lightning...

Lightning Dust easily made a layup and sunk the ball into the basket.

Rainbow winced from where she sat now... The Opposing team was now one point ahead of them!

The crowd went wild at this, making Rarity and a few others on the court shrink back from sudden humiliation.

Now the ponies only had 1 minute and 50 seconds on the clock.

RainbowDash was just itching to get back out there now. "Ok team pick it up!" FastBall roared, his own fears quite getting to him.

Applejack headed back down the court as PinkiePie and Fluttershy came dribbling the ball back down.

Fluttershy as usual passed the ball instantly to Pinkie. Quick as ever though Lyra got all up in PinkiePie's face, causing her to dart simply to the left. CherryBerry was waiting over there to block PinkiePie but Rarity instantly screened CherryBerry, letting Pinkie through.

"Yes! Shoot!" FastBall called out from the sidelines.

But at that moment suddenly Lightning Dust came crashing into PinkiePie, shielding and totally blocking Pinkie's attempt at shooting. And then the next thing you know, The buzzer goes off, creating another loud uproar from the crowd of ponies within the stands...

"H-Hey! You meanie!" PinkiePie snapped at Lightning. Lightning Dust only turned to face Pinkie with a smirk on her face. "aww thanks for the compliment" She taunted before trotting off with Minuette and BeautyBrass again.

"Oh my gosh, that was fab of you Light" BeautyBrass remarked.

"Was it? That pink pony didn't seem to notice" Lightning Dust teased, getting a chuckle from BeautyBrass and Minuette next.

Pinkie just stared after them before regrouping with her team over at the benches.

"Very nice play right now..." FastBall instantly commented as the team gathered around.

Rarity quickly began sucking down her water from her water bottle, her face all sweaty.

"AUGH! The heat is so intense out there! I think it's messing up my curls! Ugh and my hooves are killing me! I need a break! And I really-" Rarity began running her dramatic mouth but FastBall just cut her off. "In that case, after the halftime break, you can sit out on the benches Rarity" FastBall suggested earnestly, getting a happy cheeky smile from Rarity in reply.

Twilight though also looked beat. Her pink stripped, deep purple, mane looked slightly tangly and frizzed from the continuous run, up and down the court.

FastBall though didn't have a choice. It was Twilight, or the complaining Rarity.

Fluttershy hardly looked tired at all, which only angered Rainbow even more. Even Applejack already looked tired slightly, and Fluttershy has been out there longer!

"Well what are we going to do? Their ahead of us" Rainbow's wings drooped as she spoke dully.

Twilight only gave a weak smile. "Ya know what? Who cares if we win or lose. I mean, we've come this far and we're making great paste... I mean yeah we're not the best team in the world but... It's still fun right?" Twilight explained cheerfully.

Rainbow only gave a small smile.

_Yeah but winning over Lightning Dust would be the best thing ever..._

Applejack then took a seat beside RainbowDash and Rarity. Her ankle was hurting worst than ever still but it didn't seem to bother her at the moment.

"So... Uh... Err... Fluttershy" Applejack began awkwardly, wanting to encourage the yellow pegasus that she could do possibly way more at the moment than what's she's been doing lately...

"Y-yes?" Fluttershy answered back, quite expecting what was coming to her.

"S-So I've been thinking..-" Applejack began but as if to read her thoughts, Rarity finished her sentence. "Your doing marvelous Fluttershy! I just think you need to pick it up just a little more... I-If you know what I mean" Rarity finished with a small smile.

Fluttershy's ears flattened. "No... I-I'm doing nothing but g-getting in the way of things.." Fluttershy sobbed, only making it worst for her.

"Well you COULD do better" Rainbow admitted, getting a vicious glare from both Rarity and Applejack.

"Look I think we're all trying really hard" Twilight suddenly ended the rising quarrel.

"Yeah me too. Now let's recap on our positions, seeming we have like only two minutes left of halftime break" FastBall suddenly remarked, turning around from a chat with SwiftHoof.

He quickly pulled out the same whiteboard with the basketball court on it. He then began drawing strategies with his expo marker again. "Ok, RainbowDash, PinkiePie, and Applejack are up top again when on offense. Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight will always be under the basket on offense. And when on defense, just switch the order around. I want PinkiePie, RainbowDash, and Applejack under the basket and Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy up top, got it?" FastBall explained, drawing letters and circles here and there with the expo in his jaws.

Suddenly the referee blew his whistle as the time suddenly ticked to zero.

Twilight was finishing gulping down water, while Applejack was just rubbing her sore ankle. Fluttershy was shaking in her hooves again and Rarity was already relaxing in one of the chairing benches.

RainbowDash and PinkiePie were just quietly chatting about how rude Lightning Dust and her friends are.

"Get going" FastBall shooed, making everypony except Rarity slide back out onto the court again... Maybe this time they'll have better luck?

* * *

**Please review**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

* * *

RainbowDash was back up front with CherryBerry at the tipoff again now. Everyone was silent as ever now as the two ponies stared into each other's eyes.

RainbowDash couldn't help but slip a gulp, as she tried to maintain her confidence.

"Ready?" The referee pony began, his whistle in his mouth as he spoke.

He then blew the whistle, instantly making Rainbow spring from on her hooves to the ball. CherryBerry was just a tad bit slower than her like usual.

RainbowDash instantly tipped the ball off towards Twilight, who began dribbling eagerly down the court and into the two point line.

"Get her!" Lyra called suddenly from behind the sudden scene.

Minuette and BeautyBrass hared over to the lavender alicorn, blocking her attempt for the basket a slight bit too quickly.

Twilight half reared with the ball at the sudden block and then turned to look for a pass. "Somepony get open now!" Twilight demanded as BeautyBrass and Minuette threw their hooves up in front of her, threateningly.

"Over here Twilight!" Applejack's sudden accent broke the gym walls as she skirted the sidelines of the court for an open pass from Twilight.

Twilight instantly gave a forceful bouncepass to the orange earth pony, causing Applejack to simply catch the ball.

Applejack quickly turned and began dribbling, a hint of doubt and unsureness pricking at her as she slowly began making her way deeper into the basket's aim point.

Lightning Dust though suddenly saw how Applejack oddly wasn't being guarded at the moment and then zipped over towards her, her green hooves flashing in front of AJ's face instantly.

"H-Hey!" Applejack snarled as she shifted to head back up the court, in attempt of getting away from Lightning's block.

Lyra though was instantly at her face, blocking her escape.

This made irritation begin to crawl up Applejack's throat.

_Move!... Come on!_

Suddenly a whistle was blown from on the sidelines and in came Rarity. She instantly hurled for Fluttershy. "F-Fluttershy I'm taking your position now sweetie" Rarity smiled cheekily and yet hurriedly causing Fluttershy to just droop her ears, seeming she hadn't been doing much ever since the game resumed. "O-Oh..." Fluttershy headed off for the benches next.

Meanwhile though, Applejack finally then began to look for a pass. She instantly spotted Rarity nearby and chest passed it to her.

Rarity was unfortunately unaware of the oncoming ball though, causing it to make contact with her side. She gave a small yelp. "Oh!" She reared as the ball bounced off her flank and into the hooves of BeautyBrass.

BeautyBrass beamed before heading back down the court.

Applejack just gave Rarity a vicious glare at the sudden act.

"W-What?" Rarity frowned. "I-I didn't know it was coming! Besides! I hit my beautiful ravishing flank!" She admitted with a sob, shame crossing her face sadly.

Applejack just continued onwards though, not having much of a choice anyhow.

RainbowDash and PinkiePie meanwhile were tailing BeautyBrass down the court. Rainbow desperately urged her hooves to pick up some more speed as she ran but nothing would happen.

PinkiePie on the other hoof was sweating like crazy as she tried to keep pace with BeautyBrass.

"C-Come on!" Pinkie breathed, but the two ponies were too late. BeautyBrass simply stopped short and flew the ball into the basket like a pro would.

She then turned to flash them a smirk, causing Rainbow to just turn her head away angrily avoiding the gaze and Pinkie to just give a prissy smirk back at Brass.

"That's my team! YEAH!" SwiftHoof was calling out from on the sidelines now as the crowds of ponies roared with glee from the stands.

RainbowDash just felt humiliation cross her mind again. Why couldn't they just finish this easily?...

She glanced up at the timer. 7 minutes left. There was no way they'd catch back up to the opposing team.

Pinkie suddenly caught sight of her friend's disapproving gaze and gave her multicolored friend a small nudge. "H-Hey are you having... any fun?" Pinkie asked quite lowly.

There was a small pause before Rainbow answered.

She just gave her pink friend a look before slowly shaking her head. "No. Cause we're not winning..." Dash muttered.

PinkiePie nodded understandingly. She knew very well at how her friend was feeling at the moment.. Even just seeing the look on her face made Pinkie's own hope drop.

_I-I thought we had a chance at doing this... but... on second thought. We didn't even have a chance to begin with_

* * *

**Please review**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

* * *

The game wasn't going very well at all... Even Twilight began to lose her own hopes as the timer now was down to three more minutes.

Fluttershy still sat at the benches, her pink mane hiding her terrified eyes. She could hardly bare this any longer. Her friends seemed like they at least did a better job out on the court then whenever she was out there.

She sighed as the referee blew his whistle again recapping the game.

_W-We're just going to fail on this game..._

But a small glimmer of sunshine began to shine threw her doubts at the thought of the next game. Maybe they would have a chance at the next game if they just worked together and tried really hard?

But Fluttershy would have to include herself if she wanted to think like that sadly...

She now watched as PinkiePie and Rarity brought the ball down now. Rarity had it at first but as soon as Lyra had begun to get up in her face, she bounce passed the ball towards Pinkie.

Pinkie instantly snatched it up and began dribbling towards the basket.

"Somepony stop her!" The opposing team's coach suddenly shouted from on the sidelines.

This made Minuette suddenly slide in front of Pinkie's path.

Pinkie though doubled back at this and skirted two point line. She then passed the ball to a passable Applejack who awaited from on the sidelines.

Applejack then turned and dodged an oncoming CherryBerry as she tried to block her.

Applejack was on a small roll suddenly though when Lyra randomly exploded from her position in attempt to steal the ball from the unaware AJ.

Lyra's hooves hooked onto the ball, her face screwing up with anger and sudden aggression. "Give it!" Lyra snapped, making Applejack wince back from sudden unawareness.

"H-Hey! Wait! Stop!" Applejack and Lyra began fighting it out for the ball, collapsing to the ground. Applejack felt anger uncoil from within her as she knew what Lyra was trying to do. She was trying to just make an uneven foul.

_Oh no you don't!_

Lyra just kept straining for the ball though when suddenly RainbowDash swooped down and snatched the ball up, only to then collide with Lightning Dust who too was ready to steal the ball up.

"Back off!" Rainbow sneered, making Lightning just reach in for the ball.

Instantly though Applejack and Lyra was back on their own hooves. The two then began to join Rainbow and Lightning for the scrap again, all clinging to the round object like a pack of wild hungry dogs.

The referee pony though had had enough now. He blew his whistle madly, causing Lyra and Lightning to quickly back away from the ball, leaving Rainbow and Applejack to just stare at each other.

"W-Wha?" Bewilderment flooded over Dash as she glanced up menacingly at the two greenish toned ponies.

"What's yalls problems?" Applejack also suddenly snapped at the two as Twilight and BeautyBrass as well as a few others suddenly trotted over to the sudden commotion.

"I don't know? We're not the ones on the gym floor now are we?" Lyra flicked her streaked tail as she and Lightning attempted to turn away.

Rainbow only zipped in front of their faces. "You two were striving for the ball too ya know!? Or or you all going to deny that too?" Dash challenged making Twilight suddenly come to stand beside her angered friend.

"Rainbow, what's wrong? What happened?" She asked quite confused.

"Them is what happened" Applejack came to stand beside the enraged cyan pegasus, her own irritation sketching upon her orange face.

"We did nothing but defend our team by fighting for the ball" Lightning Dust began to explain to the sensable Twilight.

"More like snatching and tearing for the ball!" Rainbow retorted.

"H-Hey! Hey! Hey! What's going on over here ladies?" Coach FastBall suddenly came trotting up to the quarrel from on the court, Coach SwiftHoof by his side.

"They're making fun of us and how we play" Lyra crossed her hooves.

RainbowDash and Applejack opened their jaws to protest but suddenly Minuette's voice sounded from out of no where.

"...U-Um look you two, I saw everything and I think Dash and Applejack here are right about something... You two are being nothing but jerks, ever since this game started actually" Minuette suddenly began, her blueish body stepping forward forcefully.

Lyra and Lightning gave her a look.

Twilight just watched on in sudden awe. Minuette was actually standing up her her so called 'friends' or team members.

"W-Who invited you?" Lyra suddenly sneered, causing FastBall to suddenly step in between them. "That's enough! You all go back to your benches. We have a minute left of this game so don't blow it by arguing!" FastBall snapped, demandingly.

RainbowDash couldn't help but give her own shocked glance towards Applejack and Twilight.

Applejack only returned the gaze while Twilight's eyes just beamed with understanding at Minuette.

"As as for MY team... Get over to the benches and lets finish this. You all know better" SwiftHoof growled as she herded her members back to the awaiting benches.

RainbowDash, Applejack and Twilight all followed their own coach back to their own benches.

Instantly PinkiePie and Rarity began showering the three with questions as they returned. "My my my! What ever happened over there?" Rarity began.

"Did you all get into a fight!? NO wait a quarrel!? NO WAIT! Did you all begin arguing!?" Pinkie exploded like her usual stupid ways.

"Uh.. Pinkie those all mean the same thing" Twilight gave a small smile at her friend.

"Oh.. right... oh well!" Pinkie shrugged it off.

"W-Well?..." Fluttershy even gave a small nudge at wanting to know. Her own suspicions were just eating away at her.

"W-We... Err... Kinda got into a stubborn fight with..." Applejack began, remembering the arrogance on Lyra's face when she had attempted to take the ball from her.

"It was Lightning Dust and Lyra.." Rainbow finished roughly.

"O-Oh we know about that but... like what happened?" Rarity asked next, flipping her long midnight purple curls out of her face slightly as she spoke.

Rainbow opened her mouth to begin but FastBall just cut them off. "Who cares... It's done and over with. Now get back out there... And I don't wanna hear anymore arguments!" FastBall demanded aggitatedly.

* * *

**Reviews ARE Appreciated.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

* * *

The last minute on the court wasn't the best either... In fact BeautyBrass and CherryBerry had managed to get two more baskets in unfortunately before the buzzer had gone off.

Low down and tired now, the team trudged back to the benches. Applejack was panting heavily from her force to play with her ankle, while Twilight seemed like she was half and half dehydrated. Rarity's mane was looking slightly off, which made her pissed and RainbowDash and PinkiePie just kinda looked normal, except for the fact that they both had drunken like a gallon of water from their bottles once they had reached the benches.

"I think we did great for our first game..." Coach FastBall tried to brighten his tired and exhausted team as the next game was beginning to start soon.

"No... We failed. We did terrible!" RainbowDash corrected FastBall with a snort.

She crossed her hooves angrily.

_Lightning Dust thinks she's so great..._

And yet a swarm of humiliation and shame flooded over Rainbow yet again as she instantly just really realized that she had failed to prove herself to Lightning...

She sighed, tilting her head down slightly. Now what was left for her? Who would they possibly face next?... Definitely not Lightning Dust's team again... She had officially failed.

Rainbow silently next slid her gaze over towards where SwiftHoof's team was finishing up at. Lightning Dust was chatting away with Lyra and BeautyBrass. Lightning Dust's coat shone from the gym lightning above head and her voice was somewhat high with the clear sound of victory, making Rainbow just grind her teeth in annoyance.

_Why couldn't we win..._

Meanwhile, Applejack didn't want to worry anypony at the moment but truthfully, deep down, her ankle was beginning to kill her now. The aching pain that bore down on her each time she even forced some weight on it tainted her horribly.

_I don't want to admit it but... I think maybe my ankle is getting worst and worst the more I play on it... M-Maybe I can sit out for the first part of the next game... And yet again.. what about the others?_

Her gaze shifted down the row of her tired sweaty friends. Twilight especially was panting madly, seeming she hadn't had gotten even a chance to sit out once during their latest game with SwiftHoof's team.

_Wonder who we're facing next?.._

Applejack couldn't help but next ask her own thought to the Coach. "H-Hey FastBall... who are we facin' next?" Applejack asked suddenly, making Rainbow's ears suddenly prick up.

"Let's see..." FastBall reached for a notepad and lifted a few pages before replying in answer. "Next we're facing, BlackJet. He and his team are pretty tough so... we'll just have to see if we can manage" FastBall answered with a nod, a flash of doubt flashing from within his eyes at his team.

Applejack unmistakenably saw the look in the coach's eyes and slumped in her own seat at the thought of playing another whole game...

Rarity at the moment was busy continuously brushing her hair over and over again with a comb that she had brought from Ponyville from in her own boutique shop.

She dramatically kept on sobbing as more and more tangles came upon the comb's path. "OOOOH!" she wailed, as she violently struck at the messy bundles, straightening the purple mane she had neatly ever so again.

Fluttershy was just staring at the ground, lost in thought at what had become of her team because of her...

_Shame.. that's what it is. I'm a shameful f-f-f-failure!_

Fluttershy tried to hide her forming tears from behind her mane. She didn't want to let Rarity or any of her friends notice her sadness and humiliation, seeming they;d just try to cheer her up like always... but they seemed to somehow always make it worst...

PinkiePie was just staring at the lighting that was reflecting from on the shiny gym floor. She was trying to pat and pounce at the reflections gleefully and playfully. "Get back here you!"

Coach FastBall just stared at his sorry excuse for a team for a second before shaking his head and turning away in embarrassment.

What A choice he had made from when he had picked these sorry ponies...

Twilight just sat upright in her chair. Her water bottle had only a lick left in it, therefore she needed to go refill it within moments before the game started. She too began glancing at her team next though. Her friends were her friends, but they weren't a good team at basketball.

Her own embarrassment for her friends were slightly beginning to come upon her now... but she couldn't help it. She saw how FastBall looked the same way at the moment.

* * *

"Alright I wanna make this one count!" Coach FastBall began yet again as they planned to start the next game within a few minutes.

Twilight took this time to refill her water bottle at the moment. RainbowDash and PinkiePie had decided to come along and join her trip to the water fountains at the moment too, seeming their water bottles were empty as well.

Twilight hurriedly set off at a trot, seeming she didn't have much time.

"...S-So do you all think we might have even a chance at this game?" RainbowDash suddenly started a conversation as they headed for the fountains.

"I... I have my doubts but I think we have a chance, sure" Twilight admitted truthfully with a small flick of her pink stripped, purple tail.

Dash gave her a small nod before Pinkie gave her own opinion.

"I-I think we do have a chance really... We just really need to work together" PinkiePie surprised both Twilight and Rainbow with her own answer.

"B-But did you see the way we tried last time? Sure we tried, but... I-It got us no where!" Rainbow objected unwillingly.

Pinkie drooped her ears. "I guess your right"

Suddenly the three then came upon the fountains. Instantly though as they approached, a small wary gust randomly caught Pinkie off guard, causing her to tilt her head back and give a small sneeze.

"Oh my, bless you" Twilight gave a small smile.

Pinkie wriggled her nose. "Thanks..." A small idea then began to form within her mind. "H-Hey... This is actually a good example of working together!" Pinkie suddenly began as Twilight began filling her water bottle up.

"What?" Rainbow asked, bewildered.

"Yeah! Like sneezing in a way! If you see someone like... cornered or something, just get up there and be there for them or something?... I mean, sure it's hard and awkward to understand but... It's like saying bless you, like Twilight did for me!... I-I... I have no idea where I'm going with this actually..." Pinkie gave a small embarrassed smile before dropping the sneezing subject.

RainbowDash just raised one eyebrow. "Ya think?..." She then turned to fill her own water bottle up as soon as Twilight had finished filling up her own.

"Well we might as well hurry back to the benches... Their waiting for us to start the next game" Twilight remarked making Rainbow and Pinkie give each other silent stares.

Meanwhile, back at the benches, Applejack was feeling helpless with her ankle at the moment. She hated the shameful fact that her team members, including Coach FastBall, was counting on her more than ever for this next game. What they didn't know was the fact that her ankle was becoming more and more of a pain with each time she tried to play on it.

But she couldn't possibly tell FastBall that she wasn't much up for playing in this second game coming up now. It would bring every ponies' hopes down for sure!

Suddenly though Rarity's dramatic and exotic voice interrupted Applejack's thoughts.

"What kind of pony goes by the name BlackJet? I mean if your gonna name your filly something cool and agile for something like sports, at least pick a good name! I mean come on!" Rarity whined while stomping her hooves restlessly on the gym floor, getting a small chuckle from Applejack at this as she watched on in amusement.

Fluttershy suddenly next spoke up from where she sat on her far end of the benches. Her long pink mane still hid half of of her face though, Celestia knows why.

"I-I personally think it's a r-rather good name. N-Not to disagree with you or anything b-but you really shouldn't judge other ponies' names..." Fluttershy mumbled heartily.

Rarity's gaze quickly wafted over towards the butter colored Pegasus, quite unamused at this rather dumb remark from her friend.

"Well Fluttershy, your the element of Kindness so that's quite normal of you to defend ponies like that..." Rarity retorted but not harsh enough to actually hurt her soft friend's feelings.

Fluttershy quickly understood and nodded, ending her objection.

"Hey everypony" Twilight's voice suddenly sounded, causing Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy to all turn their heads at once to the approaching lavender alicorn.

"Twilight darling there you are!" Rarity fussed, as she set her comb down from brushing her mane finally.

PinkiePie and RainbowDash both followed silently behind. Pinkie bouncing like she normally did, and RainbowDash slightly hovering off the ground like usual...

"So, what do you think of this new Blackjet?" Rarity then asked the arriving three.

"Blackjet? As in, the opposing team's coach, that we're about to face?" RainbowDash questioned, crossing her hooves.

"Naw, the last coach we went up against" Applejack retorted, making Rainbow give a small embarrassed blush.

"O-Oh right... I knew that..." Rainbow dumbfoundedly pointed out, making Applejack just roll her eyes in reply.

"Well, he seems aight" Dash shrugged, trying to regain her cool.

But Applejack just still wasn't paying attention as she glanced back down at her hoof... or... ankle.

_W-What if I trip and fall? What if I fall and break or twist something else!? W-What if... We fail cause of me!?_

A swarm of questions began to wrap Applejack up so tightly that she could hardly help but begin to feel a bit hot and sweaty.

She just had to do her best... or... or-

Suddenly Coach FastBall came strutting back up to the team, his eyes glazing madly like never before.

"C-Coach FastBall?... What's wrong?" Twilight was the first to speak.

FastBall just gave her a glare. "B-Blackjet"

* * *

**Please Review**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

* * *

There was a small moment of silence before RainbowDash flew a little higher from her normal hovering level. "BlackJet? What did he do?" Dash asked intently.

All eyes strained on FastBall, seeming everypony else wore the same question on their mind.

"He's just an annoying braggart is all" FastBall shrugged, trying to make his team members see that it wasn't much of a big deal. "Boy do we hate them folk" Applejack retorted, slightly resting her gaze on one of her own friends in particular.

"Humph! I told you Fluttershy! I knew he didn't sound right... Euugh... Even just the sound of his hideous name!" Rarity rolled the name around on her tongue a few more times before shaking her head in disgust.

"W-What did he exactly do?..." Twilight couldn't help but press the manner, but before FastBall even had time to think about answering her, the Referee pony trotted out onto the court, the whistle in his mouth again.

"No time... You'll find out soon enough. What I need you six to do is get out there and warm up a bit before we start. We have about... Fives minutes on the clock so hurry and get to it" FastBall's voice was louder than usual, seeming he still was quite pissed from his recent encounter with the opposing team's coach...

Twilight only nodded in understanding and hared out onto the court. FastBall lent her and her friends a basketball from the sidelines so that they could practice with it.

Applejack was a bit hasty now. She didn't want to show anypony that her ankle hurt. Stubborness and annoyance began pricking at her though once everypony trotted on out to the court.

She then braced herself and began making her way herself, not dare trying to show that her hoof was hurting more than she could possibly withstand at the moment... but that didn't stop her.

"Ok, let's try our layups again. Two lines, now" Twilight ordered, causing everypony to get into a perfect formation. Sure, Rarity was hesitantly slow, and Fluttershy was just... well... slower than slow... but Applejack was the pony that for some reason caught Twilight's eye. The orange earth pony had hesitated a bit too long than she normally knew her friend would, before heading out here.

_What's up with Applejack?..._

The others were fine getting into place on the other hoof though.

RainbowDash suddenly then stepped out of line though, her wings flapping slowly and her head tilted upwards, to see over the heads of her friends.

This quickly began to agitate Applejack, seeming she had to still deal with her hoof pain at the moment as well, and she didn't want to also have to deal with her stubborn pegasus friend Rainbow at the moment to put some more pressure on top of that! "And just what are you doin'?" Applejack snapped, getting a bewildered and yet slightly angered glare from Rainbow in reply.

"Uh hello? I jut wanted to see who we're up against... If that's alright with your snobbish attitude, AJ" Dash mocked, slightly confused though at why AJ had treated her like that.

This made Applejack lower her head and her ears droop. "Oh... I-I didn't know. Sorry"

Rainbow only shrugged it off as she continued looking though. She instantly caught sight of a yellowish golden pony and a cream colored pony at first. Course they were both mares, and they were both earth ponies too.

She then spotted a maroon colored pony who she definitely identified instantly. "C-Cheerilee?" She asked in a quite shocked manner.

"W-Well? What do ya see?" Applejack then asked to the cyan pegasus.

"Well I see Cheerilee... Odd... but then I see... I think it's Bon Bon?" RainbowDash began awkwardly guessing, causing Twilight to suddenly realize their not so focused attentions.

"Excuse me you two, but what are you doing? Don't you realize we have to warm up?" Twilight warned, making Applejack nod but Rainbow just continued guessing out names. "And I think that's...-"

"RAINBOW!" Twilight yelled, finally getting the pegasus's attention.

"Geez! Gosh! Sorry!... I was only trying to see which ponies we're up against" RainbowDash explained, yet again to her dismay.

Twilight instantly pricked her ears in interest. "Oh?"

Rainbow just chuckled. "Yeah. How about we go meet them?" She offered, getting a small nod in agreement from Applejack and Twilight both. "Okay" Applejack huffed.

_Anything to stop warm ups... I don't think my hoof could take it.._

Twilight then turned to the rest of her awaiting friends. "H-Hey um. Everypony, how about we head over to the other side of the court to see who we're up against? You know... Let's try to make friends with them and be nicer than what we did last time..." Twilight suggested, making Rarity fluff out her long curls in reply. "Well... I guess the last team we faced WAS a bit... uncouth... so in that case, alrighty then" Rarity finally agreed.

"OKIE DOKIE LOKIE!" Came PinkiePie's.

"S-S-Sure... I-I don't mind" Came a muffled sound from Fluttershy's hiding face.

Twilight nodded. "In that case, lead the way Rainbow" She turned to the friend of hers who suggested the brilliant idea. Dash beamed with pride as she began flying slowly towards the opposing team's ponies.

"W-Wonder what they're going to be like..." Fluttershy couldn't help but ask her friend Rarity.

Rarity sighed dramatically. "At least their bound to be better than that last team we faced... AUGH!" Rarity huffed in reply as they all approached the newer unknown ponies.

"H-Hello... M-My name is Twilight Sparkle. And this is my team- or.. friends that will be facing you all" Twilignt began simply as they had gotten close enough to start a conversation with the opposing team.

Cheerilee instantly turned her head to face the friends, along with her team members. "Oh hello there Twilight! Mighty fine to see you here!" Cheerliee greeted with a smile.

Twilight beamed back, grateful that Cheerilee was one of the ponies they were facing. She was always so nice.

"Hi Twilight! I'm GoldenHarvest" The golden pony that Rainbow had pointed out earlier came to stand beside Cheerilee.

"Hi!" Twilight greeted back.

"And I'm Bon Bon" Dash had guessed correctly when Bon Bon stepped up next.

Next a yellowish pony with green pigtails on each side of her neck came trotting up next. "Hi, I'm AppleFritter" she introduced, causing Applejack to suddenly shove her way to the front. "I-I thought I recognized you!" Applejack beamed, getting an also shocked yet excited look back from Applefritter in reply. "Oh hey Applejack!"

Twilight only felt more and more pleased as she learned these ponies names. They seemed really nice...

_Now we don't have to fret over versing the other team so harshly... this team will be nice and easy going with us... As we will with them..._

PinkiePie suddenly bounced up to Applejack. "Wow! One of your own cousins! Cool!" Pinkie yipped, making Applejack nod in reply.

"And I'm Octavia" A darker colored pony then stepped up nicely and lastly.

"Cool. So now that we know each other-" RainbowDash began but Octavia suddenly cut her off. "I-I don't know your name" she remarked, quite daringly.

RainbowDash only dropped to the gym floor in sudden shock from her raised tone and cocky attitude. "W-Well duh, I'm RainbowDash" Rainbow answered back, half glaring and half smiling.

"Oh. Ok then" Octavia flicked her tail, making Dash just stare after her, menacingly.

Twilight quickly caught onto this sudden rising challenging state between the two and instantly began introducing the rest of her friends.

"U-Um Octavia I'll also introduce you to... PinkiePie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy!" Twilight nodded to each named pony as she did so.

Octavia nodded but didn't say anything.

"So... I guess we're going against you all?" GoldenHarvest then asked.

"Yes. Believe so" Twilight answered back.

"Well we better-" Cheerilee began but the buzzer suddenly went off, causing everypony to gasp and panic in unawareness.

"O-Oh no! We forgot the five minute warm up!" Applejack turned to Twilight and RainbowDash quite aggitatedly.

"W-Well... A-At least we... were able to meet our new opposing team right?" Twilight defended herself.

Bon Bon nodded hurriedly before she then began nudghing her friends off towards the awaiting and disapproving BlackJet. "C-Come on, let's go" Bon Bon muttered.

Octavia and Goldenharvest hurried away, followed by Applefritter.

"T-Thanks I guess..." Cheerilee mumbled before following her friends.

RainbowDash didn't know about any pony else but she could kinda predict what was coming.. Twilight though, didn't...

"Well they seem nice" Twilight admitted.

"Nice? I saw something more than just nice..." Rainbow confessed, her head lowering slightly. "Something tells me that FastBall might have said something about Blackjet that also might have meant for his team" Dash growled, getting a stubborn look from Twilight.

"How could you say that?"

"Yes, They seem nice enough to me! I personally think they're way better than what Coach SwiftHoof had to offer" Rarity agreed with Twilight instantly.

Rainbow felt guilt prick her. "Y-Your right... I guess. Maybe I'm wrong" She corrected herself.

"Well that's not new" Applejack taunted her beaten friend, causing RainbowDash to stare daggers at the orange earth pony in reply.

"I still cannot believe one of your cousins are here! Playing Basketball! In FoalMountain on the exact day like this!" PinkiePie screeched happily, making Applejack nod. "Yeah me neither..."

Rarity then turned to the outcasted pony of the team. "Fluttershy, what's your opinion on them?" Rarity then urged.

Fluttershy hesitated as they all approached their benches. "I-I think they were ok..." She admitted, yet again striking a mark at Rainbow.

"Well we'll just see about that once we start this game..." Dash retorted.

"We will.." Twilight narrowed her eyes...

* * *

**Please review**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

* * *

"Get out there and have fun! That's all that counts!" FastBall urged as the referee blew his whistle.

"That's us. Rainbow, your up top, tipping it off as usual" FastBall demanded, herding his team out onto the court. Twilight had been picked to stay out on the benches for the first few minutes.

Unfortunately that meant that Fluttershy had to pick up her act and join the game now...

RainbowDash flew up to where the tip-off zone was, hardly breaking a sweat this time, seeming she knew she had this in the bag.

She was going against GoldenHarvest, who didn't look quite as athletic as Rainbow did.

"Ready?" The referee began.

Tension began rising, especially for Fluttershy as she waited for the two to go at it.

_I-I can't do this..._

Fear at being laughed at was torturing her at the moment... Meanwhile with Applejack, she was having her own doubts about herself.

_I-I can't do this..._

Her fear of tripping and falling because of this stubborn injury of hers was flooding over her fast. But she knew she had to do this... for if she didn't, she would have to sit out and just watch throughout the whole game... NO! She wanted to play and she was going to play, no matter what kind of pain that gets tossed her way.

RainbowDash, back up top awaited the whistle. But as soon as it was blown, both RainbowDash and GoldenHarvest leaped for the ball at the same time. Mindblowingly though as it were, GoldenHarvest somehow reached the ball first and spun it towards her team members, causing Rainbow to miss the ball in one huge swipe and clash to the gym floor.

"WHOA!... OUCH!" Just like at practice, Rainbow's chin collided with the floor first, her head spinning and her frame twitching.

Rarity, nearby couldn't help but gasp at the sudden scene. "Oh my! Rainbow darling, are you alright?" She asked as all of the other players hared down the court at the opposing team, quite unsure though whether Rainbow was actually hurt or not.

"GET UP!" Came FastBall's roar from the sidelines.

"I-I... I'm fine" Rainbow finally found the strength to help herself up. "..I-I don't understand though... H-How did GoldenHarvest tip the ball before me?" Rainbow asked as Rarity helped her up completely.

"I-I really don't know but let's just hurry and get down there... I cannot believe they didn't call a time out at that as well" Rarity also added as the two began to pick up their pace.

"Me neither" Rainbow admitted, her jaw aching and her legs burning from the collision.

Meanwhile, PinkiePie had managed to corner Octavia, who now held the ball.

"Somepony get open!" Octavia demanded as Pinkie tried to block any attempt at a pass.

PinkiePie turned to look over her shoulder. "F-Fluttershy come help me!" She yelled at the yellow pegasus, who stood doing nothing at the moment.

"W-W-What?!... Y-You want me?" Fluttershy cried back.

"YES! PLEASE!" Pinkie begged as Octavia began yelling some more.

"W-Why not Applejack?" Fluttershy suggested.

Pinkie glared at her. "Because you haven't done anything and Applejack looks busy at the moment!" Pinkie reasoned, glancing over towards the orange earth pony who was hobbling on three legs oddly at the moment.

Fluttershy caught sight of this too and finally hared over to PinkiePie's side.

"There ya go!" Pinkie smiled, but before Fluttershy could completely begin guarding Octavia, Cheerilee had slid in from the two point line, leaving Octavia to instantly pass her the ball.

Fluttershy coward a bit from the sudden action and movements, making Pinkie just give her a worried and ungrateful look.

She sighed before heading off after Cheerilee, leaving Fluttershy with herself...

Back on the benches, Twilight strained her neck to see what was happening. Seeing RainbowDash fall at the beginning had pained her. She had no clue at why the referee hadn't called a time out, yet she did have something in mind. She had seen Blackjet talking with the referee the moment Dash had fallen... maybe Blackjet was up to something?

BlackJet was no ordinary stallion, he was huge lookin'! His mane and coat is a complete solid black, while his eyes are a deadly reddish sunset orange.

He wore a sleek blue tie around his neck but that was it. He was totally different from what FastBall was. Sure FastBall could get mean and furious sometimes but he didn't act like that all the time... BlackJet looked on in silence at his team, yet studied their every movement like a hawk.

Twilight gulped. Fear churned in the pit of her stomach as she watched the game go on... the clock was just ticking away with every thought she thought of...

Applejack meanwhile was doing the best she could to stay in touch with the actual game. Her hoof was screaming at her though with every step, yet she couldn't stop now. She shielded Applefritter at the moment as she watched PinkiePie try and block Cheerilee's attempt at shooting.

RainbowDash suddenly then made her way to stand and block beside Pinkie, their hooves both clouding the maroon mare's face and head. "Augh! Move please!" Irritation struck Cheerilee's voice as she tried to see around them but, she was already planted.

She then looked around for some pony to pass it to, and instantly GoldenHarvest came galloping up.

Cheerilee bounce passed it to the golden colored mare, who then scored the basket in one shot.

"Oh come on!" Rainbow moaned as the crowds of ponies went wild.

"I-I know right" PinkiePie slowly agreed, her own angers starting to bother her.

* * *

Two minutes was left on the clock, and finally Twilight was brought into the game, in replace for Applejack. FastBall wasn't that stupid... He had seen the orange earth pony wince a few times while she tried to shield and block out there on the court.

"Ahem... Is there something wrong AJ?" FastBall then turned to quiet mare. The orange earth pony didn't dare say a word about what was really going on.

"I-I.. Well..." And yet, she just had to tell the truth, seeming she was the element of Honesty in all..

"Maybe... but it's fine" Applejack retorted, making sure that FastBall would stop the questions and move on. But he didn't. He kept pushing the matter.

"Look.. I've seen you struggle out there and-" FastBall began but Applejack just defended herself. "I-I don't know what you mean..." Tension began rising now, as Applejack knew that FastBall had caught onto something...

"Well for certain there's something wrong with you... D-Does it happen to be your ankle that you injured the other night?" FastBall then asked, causing Applejack to fret with panic. But just as she was about to reply, the buzzer went off, calling for half time..

"Boy... it's half time already? Dog-gone that clocks fast!" Applejack instantly decided to change the subject as everypony began trotting over to the benches.

"Nice play out there you all. And hey, we're ahead by three points! How great is that?" FastBall reminded excitedly.

"Aww yeah!" Rainbow slung her water bottle to the side and zipped into the air happily.

"I for one, think we're doing a much better job than last time's game" Twilight also added.

"Heck yeah" Applejack agreed.

"Totally" Rarity nodded.

"Well we still have a little bit more to go after half time so let's make it count..." FastBall encouraged...

* * *

**Please review**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

* * *

In no time, RainbowDash was back up top with GoldenHarvest to tip the ball off again. This time she knew what she was in for and successfully struck the ball first, causing GoldenHarvest to trip slightly on her own this time.

Glee filled Rainbow at this as she thundered down the court with Applejack and Twilight now. Twilight had the ball now as she led the way down to the basket. No pony could stop her at the moment as she did a perfect layup, instantly into the basket's rim. The crowds went wild at this.

PinkiePie was sitting out on the benches this time, leaving Fluttershy still in the game... The butter colored pegasus was still cowering in her humiliation as the game continued onwards, coming down to the last few minutes.

"Come on! We got this in the bag!" FastBall roared from the sidelines as the ponies charged back down the court again. Applejack's hoof was still slowing her at the moment but she put up with it...

PinkiePie was cheering madly from the sidelines, her hopes fluttering up within her like a bird trying to be desperately freed.

The clock now held 50 seconds, as FastBall's team was on offense.

RainbowDash had the ball at the moment as was trying to give the basket an accurate shot at but she was instantly cut off by Cheerilee and Applefritter.

She looked around for some pony to pass the ball to now, but nopony was opened... except Fluttershy...

"FLUTTERSHY HEADS UP!" Rainbow didn't care if Fluttershy was prepared for this or not, she just passed it to her anyways.

Fluttershy gave a small shrill shriek as the ball landed in her wobbly hooves. "O-Oh my!" she yelled.

"SHOOT IT DARLING!" Rarity suddenly called out on the sidelines.

"Shoot!" Applejack agreed.

"HURRY!" Rainbow urged.

Fluttershy fretted before closing her eyes and randomly aiming at the basket with all her might. At that second the buzzer went off and yet... and yet... THE BALL FLIPPED INTO THE BASKET!

The crowds immediately bursted and roared with cheers as the game had officially ended, but not as much as Fluttershy's friends.

"You did it!" Twilight yelped.

"AMAZING!" Rarity complimented.

"I'm stunned Fluttershy!" Applejack awed.

Fluttershy just felt completely numb to the core... SHE HAD SHOT A BASKET!

Glee, pride, excitement and many more feelings began flooded through her. "I-I did it?... I did it!" Fluttershy yipped, as FastBall suddenly came chanting over to his successful team.

"I-I knew you all could do it!" FastBall smiled brilliantly.

Twilight turned and nodded along with every other cheering friend of hers. "You were right! WE ALL did it!" Twilight shouted as the sounds of roaring, cheering and yipping came from the thousands of crowds of ponies watching from above.

Everypony was happy and excited... but not as much as Fluttershy from that day...

"I cannot believe what has happened tonight!" Rarity squealed as she and everypony else clustered out of the big basketball stadium doors. They had all accomplished teamwork for tonight...

"Fluttershy, you rock!" RainbowDash added, making Fluttershy just beam brightly. Her mane wasn't even hiding herself anymore...

The stars and moon shone brightly ahead as the friends began making their way down the road and towards the train station back to Ponyville.

It was dark and there was a small breeze blowing but everything was fine now... the excitement was over... the tension and the challenges.

"Hope we get to see FastBall again" Pinkie suddenly remarked making everypony give their own agreements one by one. "He really was a sensable pony... I remember when we first met him back at tryouts too... we were all pretty unsure of him..." Twilight began, knowing that starting this long conversation would make every pony groan from boredom... and that's exactly what they did.

"UGH!"

"AUUUGH!"

"MMMMAUUGH!"

"HAAAUGH!"

* * *

_Dear Princess Celestia_

_Me and my friends have learned a valuable lesson for... this week. This weekend we had decided to tryout for basketball and well... it was kind of a bust from the beginning. But by working together and being there for each other through hardships and hurting times, we discovered the magic of teamwork. There's nothing like trying ever so hard for your friends and for yourself. If you dig deep down inside, you might find that there are many more things that you can do, that what you thought you couldn't do... And sure, some things don't go as planned, but you can always just make them turn out great anyhow... So what me and my friends learned this week was the magic of teamwork. Times can sometimes be rough and hard and challenging... but by working together with your friends and being there for each other... everything might just turn out... OK._

_From your faithful and always loyal student, Twilight Sparkle_

* * *

**_The End._**

**_Hope you all enjoyed because it took weeks for me to complete this story. But I wanted to make it spot perfect for you all, so if you have the time, please fav and maybe review. I'd be really appreciative about it, and it would totally encourage me to write more stories..._**

**_-Blue-Flame-Snake_**


End file.
